Blair admits to tough times
Tony Blair admitted today that this week had been one of his most difficult as prime minister, but that he would press ahead with reforms to public services.
He reportedly told his cabinet this morning that “times are tough, but they are tough because we are trying to do tough things”, according to his official spokesman.
Yesterday Mr Blair was accused of being “in office but not in power” by Michael Howard – the same phrase used to describe John Major in 1993 – following the resignation yesterday morning of a key ally, work and pensions secretary David Blunkett.
The Tory leader said Mr Blair’s support was “haemorrhaging” – a claim lent weight by the reduction of the government’s 66 majority to just one in a vote on the controversial terrorism bill last night.
However, the prime minister’s supporters insist he is determined to keep pushing ahead with his reforms to education, health, and welfare.
Facing Mr Howard in the Commons yesterday, Mr Blair responded to claims that he was at the “beginning of the final chapter at the end of his administration”, and a “lame duck prime minister” by listing Labour’s achievements since 1997.
Investment and reform in education, health, proposals to tackle anti-social behaviour, crime and terrorism were all marks of a strong government, he insisted.
And he declared: “Each of these proposals will be carried through because we believe in them, and we believe they are right for the country.”
One of the most pressing areas in need of reform is welfare – a green paper on incapacity benefits is due in the coming weeks, while Adair Turner’s pension commission will publish a major report at the end of the month.
Mr Blair has brought in Cabinet Office minister John Hutton to take over from Mr Blunkett at the Department for Work and Pensions, to try to push the welfare agenda forward.
During his resignation speech yesterday, Mr Blunkett – who quit over breaching the ministerial code of conduct on taking outside jobs – said he was “deeply sorry” for any embarrassment he had caused Mr Blair.
“I step down today precisely to protect the government from diversion from the policies we are carrying out, from the reforms we are bringing in,” he told reporters.
“I don’t think you need to be a genius to recognise that the events, not just of the last few days, but of the last few weeks, have been a diversion from the real business of being able to report news.”
The MP for Sheffield Brightside, who quit as home secretary in December last year, added: “As we saw at prime minister’s questions, it is the prime minister some people wish to target.
“I wish to support him. I wish him to continue carrying forward the modernising reform agenda.”
