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| PM gone within year, allies say | PM gone within year, allies say |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Tony Blair will step down as prime minister within a year, some of his closest allies are saying. | Tony Blair will step down as prime minister within a year, some of his closest allies are saying. |
| The latest is senior minister Hilary Armstrong, who said Mr Blair would be gone by the 2007 Labour conference. | The latest is senior minister Hilary Armstrong, who said Mr Blair would be gone by the 2007 Labour conference. |
| Seventeen normally loyal Labour MPs have signed a letter urging the prime minister to quit to end uncertainty. | Seventeen normally loyal Labour MPs have signed a letter urging the prime minister to quit to end uncertainty. |
| The Sun newspaper has said Mr Blair will step down as Labour leader on 31 May next year, but Downing Street is resolutely refusing to comment. | The Sun newspaper has said Mr Blair will step down as Labour leader on 31 May next year, but Downing Street is resolutely refusing to comment. |
| International Development Secretary Hilary Benn told the BBC it was time to forget about the speculation. | International Development Secretary Hilary Benn told the BBC it was time to forget about the speculation. |
| "I have no idea where the Sun got that. We should trust the prime minister in what he has said, that he will do the right thing by the party, that he will, in due course, announce a date." | "I have no idea where the Sun got that. We should trust the prime minister in what he has said, that he will do the right thing by the party, that he will, in due course, announce a date." |
| The Sun has named a date on which it says Mr Blair will quit | The Sun has named a date on which it says Mr Blair will quit |
| But junior defence minister Tom Watson, as well as six government aides, are among the signatories of the letter faxed to Downing Street. | |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the apparent timetable would not stop critics of the prime minister trying to speed his departure, with the move being interpreted as a sign of retreat and weakness. | BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the apparent timetable would not stop critics of the prime minister trying to speed his departure, with the move being interpreted as a sign of retreat and weakness. |
| The Sun said that after stepping down as Labour leader, Mr Blair's time as prime minister would come to an end on 26 July 2007. | The Sun said that after stepping down as Labour leader, Mr Blair's time as prime minister would come to an end on 26 July 2007. |
| On Tuesday, the Daily Mirror published a leaked memo said to detail plans by Blair's closest aides for a farewell tour to promote the "triumph of Blairism". | On Tuesday, the Daily Mirror published a leaked memo said to detail plans by Blair's closest aides for a farewell tour to promote the "triumph of Blairism". |
| Environment Secretary David Miliband later appeared on BBC Radio 4 to say "the conventional wisdom is that the prime minister sees himself carrying on for about another 12 months". | Environment Secretary David Miliband later appeared on BBC Radio 4 to say "the conventional wisdom is that the prime minister sees himself carrying on for about another 12 months". |
| Effectively, we have the timetable Tony Blair has refused to confirm BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full | Effectively, we have the timetable Tony Blair has refused to confirm BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full |
| And his comments were echoed hours later by former chief whip Ms Armstrong - the first member of Mr Blair's inner circle to go so far in statements about his future. | And his comments were echoed hours later by former chief whip Ms Armstrong - the first member of Mr Blair's inner circle to go so far in statements about his future. |
| "We expect that there will be a new leader in position for conference 2007," she told the BBC. | "We expect that there will be a new leader in position for conference 2007," she told the BBC. |
| Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton called for an end to the "obsession about dates and particularly forcing a date out of the prime minister". | |
| "I agree with David Miliband's interpretation of events and with Hilary Armstrong as well and I think in that light we should now get off this obsession, this kind of soap opera, this pantomime about what's the date," he told BBC Breakfast. | |
| Mr Blair's Sedgefield constituency agent John Burton told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he had "no indication whatsoever" about the prime minister's departure date "and normally I'm sure Tony would get in touch with me". | |
| But he said if Mr Blair's close friends Mr Miliband and Ms Armstrong were discussing this on TV "it must have some credence". | |
| 'Further letter' | |
| And former minister Nick Raynsford said it was wrong that the issue had been "handed over to the media". | And former minister Nick Raynsford said it was wrong that the issue had been "handed over to the media". |
| "This is not the way in which government ought to operate, there should be a dignified statement from the prime minister himself." | "This is not the way in which government ought to operate, there should be a dignified statement from the prime minister himself." |
| Downing Street said the letter from the 17 MPs, all of whom entered Parliament in 2001, had been faxed. | Downing Street said the letter from the 17 MPs, all of whom entered Parliament in 2001, had been faxed. |
| "Although there has been much discussion of the content of the letter, it is marked 'private and confidential' and we intend to treat it as such," a spokesman said. | "Although there has been much discussion of the content of the letter, it is marked 'private and confidential' and we intend to treat it as such," a spokesman said. |
| Press reports suggest the letter's signatories believe as many as 100 Labour MPs could join them at conference in Manchester later this month. | |
| He should be the star who won't even play that last encore Leaked memo from Blair allies Key quotes: leaked memo Analysis: How will Blair go? Newspaper feeding frenzy | He should be the star who won't even play that last encore Leaked memo from Blair allies Key quotes: leaked memo Analysis: How will Blair go? Newspaper feeding frenzy |
| Signatories included West Bromwich East MP Mr Watson and ministerial aides Khalid Mahmood, Wayne David, Ian Lucas and David Wright. | Signatories included West Bromwich East MP Mr Watson and ministerial aides Khalid Mahmood, Wayne David, Ian Lucas and David Wright. |
| Mr Mahmood refused to confirm the letter's existence but said there were issues to be addressed within the party. | Mr Mahmood refused to confirm the letter's existence but said there were issues to be addressed within the party. |
| A second group of Labour MPs elected in 2005 are thought to be drafting their own letter urging Mr Blair to quit immediately. | A second group of Labour MPs elected in 2005 are thought to be drafting their own letter urging Mr Blair to quit immediately. |
| Meanwhile, 49 Labour MPs have signed a statement saying they are satisfied with a 12-month timetable for his departure. | Meanwhile, 49 Labour MPs have signed a statement saying they are satisfied with a 12-month timetable for his departure. |
| Sir Jeremy Beecham, chairman of Labour's national executive committee, said the MPs' letters were misconceived. | Sir Jeremy Beecham, chairman of Labour's national executive committee, said the MPs' letters were misconceived. |
| The agent for Mr Blair's Sedgefield constituency, John Burton, said the Labour Party was yet again showing its "self destruct button" and that the prime minister should continue. | The agent for Mr Blair's Sedgefield constituency, John Burton, said the Labour Party was yet again showing its "self destruct button" and that the prime minister should continue. |
| "I would have hoped that, personally, that he'd gone for about three years of the term, taken on Cameron which I know he can do." | "I would have hoped that, personally, that he'd gone for about three years of the term, taken on Cameron which I know he can do." |