All over by Christmas?
:
Friday's Daily Telegraph says that Tony Blair's "friends" predict he will be gone by Christmas. Are you picking up anything to lend credence to this revelation Nick?
No. The debate I'm picking up is about whether Tony Blair will be forced to leave Number Ten next year as Brownites hope, or not until the year after, as his supporters want. He is also weighing up how to escape from the constant stories about his future.
Does he dismiss it as a "media driven frenzy" which will eventually pass overhead like a tropical storm? Or does he have to more clearly set out a policy agenda for the next couple of years designed to prove that he's not run out of steam? Or should he even name a date for his departure?
My guess is that he and the Chancellor will put on a show of unity at tomorrow's local elections launch as it's in neither of their interests for Labour to fall apart. The electorate will then decide whether to produce results that inspire panic or reassurance that, whatever his difficulties, Tony Blair is far from a liability. That, it has to be said, is what the polls currently suggest.
I'm 
Comments
Can you tell me please Nick why Tony Blair still hasnt done the cabinet reshuffle we've been waiting for since Blunkett resigned?Blair promised us a social exclusion minister in february but still he hasnt appointed anyone.
Is he too weak to carry out a reshuffle or is there a lack of talent to choose from?
Not doing the reshuffle makes him look kind of weak in my opinion
So you predict that the council election results won't be nearly as bad as some are predicting Nick?
Also,if the debate on t he handover is just about whether it takes place in 2007 or 2008 surely thay can compromise on such a relatively minor detail?!
Are you sure Gordon Brown will succeed Tony Blair? I thought in a democracy some democratic contest must surely be necessary...and wont Brown look so stale after eons in Number 11 that when the next election comes along David Cameron will walk, nay skip off the prize anyway?
Elizabeth the first said it best...
"Men will better worship the dawns rising than the suns setting"
Poor Tony.
Reminded us that while America can cope with 'lame duck' heads of state, we have difficulty coping with PM's who have an expiry date.
Is it only me that feels this debate over Tony Blair's departure to be un-democratic. Surely New Labour should call an early election such that his sucessor can properly seek a mandate?
Dear Nick,
David Cameron has made a disastrous strategic mistake---in steering the Tories toward center-left. The country may well be ready for a sharp turn to the right (the Tories' natural territory), as evidenced by the number of people saying they will vote BNP in the upcoming elections. It was a golden opportunity for the Tories to come back---but greenie Cameron read the tea leaves wrong.
Wait and see!