Mandelson: Blair has planned departure
One of Tony Blair’s closest allies believes the prime minister has already decided when he will stand down.
Peter Mandelson, a key architect of New Labour, said Mr Blair made a “bold” decision to announce that he would not seek a fourth term and suggested that the timetable for his departure has already been made.
His comments come after reports suggested that deputy prime minister John Prescott wants Mr Blair to specify a date for leaving Downing Street.
They also coincide with what many observers have termed as a leader-in-waiting speech by the chancellor Gordon Brown at the Labour conference in Brighton.
Mr Brown has long been seen as the favourite to step into Mr Blair’s shoes when he leaves, but many MPs, including deputy prime minister John Prescott, have called for a timetable, detailing exactly when the transition from Blair to Brown will be made.
But EU trade commissioner told BBC Two’s Daily Politics that Mr Blair had already done so.
He said: “When he indicated last year, in a rather bold and unconventional move but which I think reflects his maturity and self confidence in the job, he said that he would not be fighting the next election as leader.”
“He also said that he would remain as leader and prime minister should he be re-elected, and he was very handsomely, for the third term. That is what I believe he intends to do.
“It means that he will stand down as leader of the party, and therefore as prime minister before the next election. He said he would serve the full term and I think everyone just has to take that at face value.”
Meanwhile, a new biography of deputy leader John Prescott reveals he would like Tony Blair to announce exactly when he will quit to this year’s party conference in Brighton – and would prefer the summer of 2007 as a date.
A new book by the Independent’s political chief Colin Brown suggests Mr Prescott is anxious about the prime minister’s intention to serve a “full term”, despite his promise to stand down at some point before the next general election.
Some commentators have suggested that this year’s Labour party conference would be relatively free of tension between Mr Brown and Mr Blair – given that the prime minister has announced he will not stand for office at the next election.
But Mr Prescott has warned the prime minister that the Labour party would not allow him to continue without making clear exactly when he would go.
“Prescott forcefully relayed the message to Blair that he did not think the party would allow him to carry on, regardless of the election result, for another three or more years,” the book says.
The fear is that if the prime minister carries on serving through to 2008, Mr Brown would have very little time to establish himself as leader before the next general election.
