Blair will be gone by Christmas, say friends [View All]

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/31/nblair31.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/31/ixnewstop.html

Blair will be gone by Christmas, say friends
By Toby Helm, Chief Political Correspondent
(Filed: 31/03/2006)


Tony Blair is to announce his resignation by Christmas, members of his inner circle believe.


Tony Blair has been hit by sleaze allegations
The Prime Minister's closest aides feel that, following a series of damaging rows over education and "sleaze", he will quit within nine months.

The disclosure comes as John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, agreed to try to broker an agreement between Mr Blair and back-bench MPs over the succession after being warned that uncertainty about the leadership is having a disastrous effect on Labour morale.

Joan Ruddock, a former minister, raised the issue of the succession, including the timing of Mr Blair's departure, with Mr Prescott at a meeting of Labour's parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

The committee - which holds a weekly meeting with the Prime Minister - is made up of a small group of senior MPs elected by backbenchers to pass on the views of the parliamentary party. Mr Prescott was in the chair because Mr Blair was abroad.

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