More calls on PM to name exit date

12 April 2012

Tony Blair was facing growing discontent within the Labour Party over his refusal to name a departure date.

A growing number of MPs from different wings of the party have expressed concern that the lack of clarity is damaging their electoral prospects.

Mr Blair enraged them further by apparently suggesting that he could still be Prime Minister next May.

Senior figures from the left-wing Compass group of Labour MPs are understood to have approached allies of Chancellor Gordon Brown in the aftermath of the Times interview, and offered to write an open letter calling on Mr Blair to go. They claim they could have delivered around 80 signatures for the document initially.

However, Mr Brown - seen as Mr Blair's likely successor - is said to have eventually decided against allowing his closest supporters to back the letter.

There has also been speculation that the four biggest trades unions could be persuaded to facilitate an emergency motion calling for Mr Blair's removal at the Labour conference in Manchester later this month. But most opponents are thought to have abandoned that idea because it would be too damaging to the party.

Allies of the Prime Minister issued an apparent rebuke to Mr Brown to accept that he would not be taking over imminently.

Former transport minister Stephen Byers, regarded as one of Mr Blair's "outriders", told the Sunday Telegraph: "The Prime Minister has said that he does not intend to go on and on and will leave ample time for his successor.

"This provides both a challenge and an opportunity for all those who wish to take on positions of leadership within the party. They should use this period ahead to detail their vision and policies for the future and the political direction they want the Labour Party to take."

Meanwhile, former Home Secretary David Blunkett appealed for calm, warning that Labour could hand victory to the Tories if infighting continues to escalate.

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