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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Blair may not hang on, says Hoon | Blair may not hang on, says Hoon |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Europe minister Geoff Hoon has cast doubt on Tony Blair's ability to remain in office until next May. | Europe minister Geoff Hoon has cast doubt on Tony Blair's ability to remain in office until next May. |
| He told the London Evening Standard it could create a dangerous "air gap" for Labour, allowing a Tory recovery in local, Scottish and Welsh elections. | He told the London Evening Standard it could create a dangerous "air gap" for Labour, allowing a Tory recovery in local, Scottish and Welsh elections. |
| Mr Blair has said he will quit as party leader within a year, with allies stressing it is likely to be in May. | Mr Blair has said he will quit as party leader within a year, with allies stressing it is likely to be in May. |
| It comes as backbencher and ex-Downing Street aide Jon Cruddas said he was considering a deputy leadership bid. | It comes as backbencher and ex-Downing Street aide Jon Cruddas said he was considering a deputy leadership bid. |
| Mr Blair is thought likely to step down after local elections and mid-term polls for the Scottish and Welsh Assembly on 3 May - expected to be disastrous for Labour. | Mr Blair is thought likely to step down after local elections and mid-term polls for the Scottish and Welsh Assembly on 3 May - expected to be disastrous for Labour. |
| Mr Hoon questioned whether this was a realistic timetable. | Mr Hoon questioned whether this was a realistic timetable. |
| "Having set the outer limits of how long he is staying, that still leaves questions in the context of the elections in May," he told the Evening Standard. | "Having set the outer limits of how long he is staying, that still leaves questions in the context of the elections in May," he told the Evening Standard. |
| "A lot of people will be asking if it makes sense to him to carry on through those elections." | "A lot of people will be asking if it makes sense to him to carry on through those elections." |
| Cruddas bid | Cruddas bid |
| Mr Hoon, who was speaking en route to the Middle East, added: "The view among activists is that he should go out on a high. That should be a factor affecting his decision. He should do it while he's still popular." | Mr Hoon, who was speaking en route to the Middle East, added: "The view among activists is that he should go out on a high. That should be a factor affecting his decision. He should do it while he's still popular." |
| The normally loyal minister's intervention is likely to reignite debate about Mr Blair's departure date ahead of Labour's conference in Manchester in a week's time. | The normally loyal minister's intervention is likely to reignite debate about Mr Blair's departure date ahead of Labour's conference in Manchester in a week's time. |
| Mr Cruddas, meanwhile, has said he is considering adding his name to the list of Labour MPs interested in the deputy party leadership. | Mr Cruddas, meanwhile, has said he is considering adding his name to the list of Labour MPs interested in the deputy party leadership. |
| He said he had been approached by key trade union figures who wanted him to stand and was "flattered". | He said he had been approached by key trade union figures who wanted him to stand and was "flattered". |
| But he insisted that major reforms were needed, and whoever won the post should not also be given the title of Deputy Prime Minister, as John Prescott had been. | But he insisted that major reforms were needed, and whoever won the post should not also be given the title of Deputy Prime Minister, as John Prescott had been. |
| Mr Cruddas told the Guardian: "Right now I am not crunching any numbers. That would be presumptuous. There is no vacancy. | Mr Cruddas told the Guardian: "Right now I am not crunching any numbers. That would be presumptuous. There is no vacancy. |
| "I am trying to see if I can start a rolling debate about what this job is, and how the party needs to organise itself. One thing is for certain: the status quo is not an option." | "I am trying to see if I can start a rolling debate about what this job is, and how the party needs to organise itself. One thing is for certain: the status quo is not an option." |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has already announced a challenge for the deputy leadership, when a vacancy arises, and Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman has said she is considering a bid. |