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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Reid to quit as home secretary | Reid to quit as home secretary |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Home Secretary John Reid has said he will stand down as home secretary in June "when Tony Blair goes". | |
| Mr Reid said he will back Gordon Brown as the next Labour leader but wants to give the chancellor "space" to establish himself. | Mr Reid said he will back Gordon Brown as the next Labour leader but wants to give the chancellor "space" to establish himself. |
| He told the BBC's Politics Show he will quit the Cabinet and return to the backbenches. | He told the BBC's Politics Show he will quit the Cabinet and return to the backbenches. |
| Mr Reid had been tipped as a possible Blairite challenger for the Labour leadership but he ruled himself out. | Mr Reid had been tipped as a possible Blairite challenger for the Labour leadership but he ruled himself out. |
| He said he had discussed his position with Mr Brown, saying "Gordon said there was a place for me in his government". | |
| But he said he plans to step down from front line politics once he leaves the Cabinet after "nine jobs in 10 years". | |
| 'Natural break' | |
| Mr Reid's announcement means Mr Brown will not face a top level challenge for the Labour leadership when Mr Blair stands down - expected to happen on Thursday. | |
| Mr Reid told The Politics Show: "I intend to stand down from the Cabinet towards the end of June when Tony Blair goes. | |
| "That is a natural break period because if I stay a year and leave then that will be misrepresented. | |
| "Now I've done nine jobs in ten years and I think from my point of view I think it's a good thing to be able to go out to listen, to learn, to discuss, to get back to the grass roots. | |
| "But also from the point of view of an incoming prime minister. I think the new prime minister should have the maximum flexibility. He needs space." |