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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Blair hits out over 'disloyalty' | Blair hits out over 'disloyalty' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has branded ex-junior minister Tom Watson "disloyal, discourteous and wrong" for signing a letter urging the prime minister to go. | Tony Blair has branded ex-junior minister Tom Watson "disloyal, discourteous and wrong" for signing a letter urging the prime minister to go. |
| He spoke out as Khalid Mahmood, a parliamentary secretary to Home Office Minister Tony McNulty, also quit. | He spoke out as Khalid Mahmood, a parliamentary secretary to Home Office Minister Tony McNulty, also quit. |
| The resignations came as Mr Blair faces growing pressure to name a departure date before the end of the year. | The resignations came as Mr Blair faces growing pressure to name a departure date before the end of the year. |
| Close allies of Gordon Brown say claims Mr Blair will go by May next year are "not good enough". | Close allies of Gordon Brown say claims Mr Blair will go by May next year are "not good enough". |
| 'Great sadness' | |
| Just minutes after Mr Watson announced his decision to quit, Mr Blair said he was going to sack him anyway. | Just minutes after Mr Watson announced his decision to quit, Mr Blair said he was going to sack him anyway. |
| Mr Watson and Mr Mahmood were among 17 normally loyal Labour MPs who signed a letter calling on Mr Blair to quit. | |
| They resigned saying it was no longer in the country's best interests for Mr Blair to remain in office. Mr Watson has already been replaced by junior transport minister Derek Twigg. | They resigned saying it was no longer in the country's best interests for Mr Blair to remain in office. Mr Watson has already been replaced by junior transport minister Derek Twigg. |
| To sign a round robin letter which was then leaked to the press was disloyal, discourteous and wrong Tony Blair In full: Watson's resignation Analysis: Can Blair hang on? In full: Mahmood's letter href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5320404.stm" class="">In full: PM letter to Watson | |
| The Sun newspaper said on its front page Mr Blair will go on 31 May, but Number 10 has insisted it did not leak the date to the newspaper adding it would not be giving a "running commentary on dates". | The Sun newspaper said on its front page Mr Blair will go on 31 May, but Number 10 has insisted it did not leak the date to the newspaper adding it would not be giving a "running commentary on dates". |
| In his letter to Mr Blair, Mr Watson wrote: "It is with the greatest sadness that I have to say that I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country." | In his letter to Mr Blair, Mr Watson wrote: "It is with the greatest sadness that I have to say that I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country." |
| Mr Blair said of his ex-minister: "I had been intending to dismiss him but wanted to extend to him the courtesy of speaking to him first. | Mr Blair said of his ex-minister: "I had been intending to dismiss him but wanted to extend to him the courtesy of speaking to him first. |
| "Had he come to me privately and expressed his view about the leadership, that would have been one thing. | "Had he come to me privately and expressed his view about the leadership, that would have been one thing. |
| "But to sign a round robin letter which was then leaked to the press was disloyal, discourteous and wrong. | "But to sign a round robin letter which was then leaked to the press was disloyal, discourteous and wrong. |
| "It would therefore have been impossible for him to remain in government." | "It would therefore have been impossible for him to remain in government." |
| 'Change wanted' | 'Change wanted' |
| Meanwhile, leading Brownites are calling for the prime minister to make a public declaration about when he will go, so that he cannot go back on it. | Meanwhile, leading Brownites are calling for the prime minister to make a public declaration about when he will go, so that he cannot go back on it. |
| One of the chancellor's closest allies, who asked not to be named, told the BBC News website: "From Gordon's point of view there has to be a public statement. | One of the chancellor's closest allies, who asked not to be named, told the BBC News website: "From Gordon's point of view there has to be a public statement. |
| "Blair has to let it be known when he will go and there has to be a public declaration." | "Blair has to let it be known when he will go and there has to be a public declaration." |
| I am a little sceptical about the date that appeared overnight... BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full | I am a little sceptical about the date that appeared overnight... BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full |
| Ex-minister Doug Henderson, also a Brown supporter, says he cannot see what Mr Blair will achieve in the next 12 months. | Ex-minister Doug Henderson, also a Brown supporter, says he cannot see what Mr Blair will achieve in the next 12 months. |
| "There should be a new leader in place by the end of March," he said, in time for the local elections and mid-term polls in Scotland and Wales. | "There should be a new leader in place by the end of March," he said, in time for the local elections and mid-term polls in Scotland and Wales. |
| He said the timetable suggested by allies of Mr Blair - that he would go in about 12 months time - seemed "the worst time to appoint a new leader". | He said the timetable suggested by allies of Mr Blair - that he would go in about 12 months time - seemed "the worst time to appoint a new leader". |
| "People in the country want a change," he told the BBC News website. | "People in the country want a change," he told the BBC News website. |
| But although he thought Mr Brown was "head and shoulders above any other candidate" he still believed there should be a proper leadership contest. | But although he thought Mr Brown was "head and shoulders above any other candidate" he still believed there should be a proper leadership contest. |
| The Sun said that after stepping down as Labour leader on 31 May, 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 on 31 May, Mr Blair's time as prime minister would come to an end on 26 July 2007. |
| Ex-Cabinet minister David Blunkett told the BBC that it was now "pretty clear that there is an understanding about a date next year - whether it's 31 May when he announces it is open to speculation". | Ex-Cabinet minister David Blunkett told the BBC that it was now "pretty clear that there is an understanding about a date next year - whether it's 31 May when he announces it is open to speculation". |
| Commons leader Jack Straw says Labour MPs should stop their "obsession" about the timetable for Mr Blair's departure, but he added that he would be "very happy to serve with Gordon Brown". | Commons leader Jack Straw says Labour MPs should stop their "obsession" about the timetable for Mr Blair's departure, but he added that he would be "very happy to serve with Gordon Brown". |
| Conservative leader David Cameron said the government was "in meltdown", while Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell added that Mr Blair "should either resign or state a date". | Conservative leader David Cameron said the government was "in meltdown", while Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell added that Mr Blair "should either resign or state a date". |