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Blair to announce departure date Blair to announce departure date
(31 minutes later)
Tony Blair will "make an announcement" on his future as Labour leader on Thursday, Downing Street has confirmed.Tony Blair will "make an announcement" on his future as Labour leader on Thursday, Downing Street has confirmed.
Mr Blair will tell Cabinet colleagues of his intentions on Thursday morning, before making his plans public in a speech in his Sedgefield constituency.Mr Blair will tell Cabinet colleagues of his intentions on Thursday morning, before making his plans public in a speech in his Sedgefield constituency.
His spokesman stressed Mr Blair would remain "focused" on the job of being prime minister until his successor is chosen by Labour in about seven weeks.His spokesman stressed Mr Blair would remain "focused" on the job of being prime minister until his successor is chosen by Labour in about seven weeks.
Chancellor Gordon Brown is the clear favourite to succeed Mr Blair.Chancellor Gordon Brown is the clear favourite to succeed Mr Blair.
Downing Street's announcement ends weeks of speculation over exactly when Mr Blair would go public with his retirement plans.
His decision to make his first public statement on the subject in Sedgefield follows a longstanding pledge to voters there that they would be the first to know about his future plans.
'Paralysis'
Earlier, Mr Blair was mocked in the Commons by Conservative leader David Cameron for presiding over a "government of the living dead".
He accused the government of being in "paralysis," with key Blairite ministers either quitting or waiting to be sacked by Mr Brown.
"And we've got a prime minister who, even after last week's drubbing, simply doesn't understand that it's over," added Mr Cameron, referring to Labour's losses in elections in England, Scotland and Wales.
Mr Blair countered that he would be concentrating on "policies for the economy and health, and education and law and order" during the seven weeks he is expected to stay in Downing Street while his Labour successor is chosen.
He said Mr Cameron can "be as cocky as he likes about the local election results. Come the general election, it's policy that counts and on policy, we win and he loses".
Frantic
The prime minister's official spokesman stressed Mr Blair still had lots of work to do on domestic issues before he quits.
There were two policy review papers on the role of the state and on families and two white papers on planning and energy security yet to be published, he said.
And there would also be international matters to deal with in the run-up to this summer's G8 and EU summits.
Mr Blair's announcement will trigger three days of frantic activity at Westminster, as Labour leadership and deputy leadership hopefuls seek nominations from fellow MPs.
Mr Brown has already been nominated by more than half of the Parliamentary party and will almost certainly not face a Cabinet-level challenge for the leadership, after all of the likely runners refused to stand against him.
Left wing backbenchers John McDonnell and Michael Meacher are battling to gain the 44 nominations needed to get on to the ballot paper and ensure there is a contest.
Whoever has the least support will withdraw, giving the other a clear run.
Six deputy leadership hopefuls will also be battling for nominations to enter the race to replace John Prescott, who is due to stand down with Mr Blair.