Blair hanging on by his fingernails?
CS | 16.09.2004 19:30
Who to believe Bragg or Cherie?
See also previous articles
Shock over claims PM was set to quit
http://news.scotsman.com/archive.cfm?id=1086552004
BILL JACOBS
WESTMINSTER EDITOR
Key points
• ’Family matters’ at heart of stress for Prime Minister
• ’Doubts over policies’
• Health Secretary denies Blair thought of quitting
Key quote
"And my guess is that it was domestic rather than anything else. Domestic not in any sense about him and Cherie - I have never seen a couple get on as those two, it’s not that." MELVYN BRAGG
Story in full CLAIMS by TV presenter Melvyn Bragg that his close friend Tony Blair contemplated quitting this year because he was under "colossal strain" connected with his family today rocked Westminster.
Labour peer Lord Bragg said the Prime Minister had suffered a great deal of personal and family stress and that he may have doubted whether some of the Government’s policies were working.
Suggestions that Mr Blair had considered quitting have been circulating in the House of Commons since the summer, as have rumours of personal problems.
But today Health Secretary John Reid denied that Mr Blair had considered resigning.
But he admitted that the Premier had been under stress - as he was all the time.
Yesterday, Lord Bragg told ITV News: "The considerations of his family had become very pressing."
The novelist and arts TV presenter told interviewer Alastair Stewart, who asked whether the Prime Minister had really considered resigning: "I think that he was under tremendous stress. He was being hammered in the press.
"Perhaps he had doubts about some policies, perhaps not. But in my view, the real stress was personal and family, which matters most to him.
"My guess is that the considerations of his family became very pressing and that was what made him think things over very carefully."
Lord Bragg, whose wife Cate Haste has co-authored a book about No 10 spouses with Cherie Blair, added: "What people don’t seem to get is how very, very strong he is.
"And how very determined he is to help make this country a better place, as is Gordon Brown.
"And he thinks he is on track to do that. But yes, I think he was under colossal strain, you could see it.
"And my guess is that it was domestic rather than anything else. Domestic not in any sense about him and Cherie - I have never seen a couple get on as those two, it’s not that."
Lord Bragg’s comments are the latest in a series of reports that Mr Blair considered resigning earlier this year.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that Downing Street had no idea Lord Bragg was about to comment publicly about Mr Blair and his family. "I must admit it took us a bit by surprise as much as anybody else," said the spokesman.
On the question of whether Mr Blair had considered quitting, a Downing Street spokesman said he had "nothing to add".
But Dr Reid denied that the famous summer "wobble" had brought Mr Blair to the brink of quitting.
He said: "I think I know the Prime Minister as well as anyone. These stories are simply untrue.
"At no stage did the Prime Minister indicate to me or anyone else that we was about to resign or make any pre-resignation announcement."
He said that anyone in public life was under pressures - including family, personal and social - and that those pressures were heaviest on the Prime Minister, but he refused to discuss Mr Blair’s private life.
Dr Reid said that in the summer, both in terms of domestic policy and the aftermath of the war in Iraq, Mr Blair had been under great pressure and his colleagues had gathered round and supported him.
The Cabinet Minister’s comments backed up Mr Blair’s assertion at his last Prime Ministerial press conference that he had never considered quitting.
The No 10 press office denied suggestions that Lord Bragg had consulted Mr Blair before making his comments and that it was a bid to win sympathy for the Prime Minister.
Some insiders believe that at the height of the "wobble" Mr Blair told Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown he was ready to stand down in his favour and that his decision not to do so has led to recent new tensions between Labour’s two top men.
See also previous articles:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/06/293456.html
http://prisonplanet.tv/articles/july2004/070204suicidebid.htm
http://www.stupid-boy.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10349&mode=linear
http://www.barficulture.com/community/main/topic.php/40584
See also previous articles
Shock over claims PM was set to quit
http://news.scotsman.com/archive.cfm?id=1086552004 BILL JACOBS
WESTMINSTER EDITOR
Key points
• ’Family matters’ at heart of stress for Prime Minister
• ’Doubts over policies’
• Health Secretary denies Blair thought of quitting
Key quote
"And my guess is that it was domestic rather than anything else. Domestic not in any sense about him and Cherie - I have never seen a couple get on as those two, it’s not that." MELVYN BRAGG
Story in full CLAIMS by TV presenter Melvyn Bragg that his close friend Tony Blair contemplated quitting this year because he was under "colossal strain" connected with his family today rocked Westminster.
Labour peer Lord Bragg said the Prime Minister had suffered a great deal of personal and family stress and that he may have doubted whether some of the Government’s policies were working.
Suggestions that Mr Blair had considered quitting have been circulating in the House of Commons since the summer, as have rumours of personal problems.
But today Health Secretary John Reid denied that Mr Blair had considered resigning.
But he admitted that the Premier had been under stress - as he was all the time.
Yesterday, Lord Bragg told ITV News: "The considerations of his family had become very pressing."
The novelist and arts TV presenter told interviewer Alastair Stewart, who asked whether the Prime Minister had really considered resigning: "I think that he was under tremendous stress. He was being hammered in the press.
"Perhaps he had doubts about some policies, perhaps not. But in my view, the real stress was personal and family, which matters most to him.
"My guess is that the considerations of his family became very pressing and that was what made him think things over very carefully."
Lord Bragg, whose wife Cate Haste has co-authored a book about No 10 spouses with Cherie Blair, added: "What people don’t seem to get is how very, very strong he is.
"And how very determined he is to help make this country a better place, as is Gordon Brown.
"And he thinks he is on track to do that. But yes, I think he was under colossal strain, you could see it.
"And my guess is that it was domestic rather than anything else. Domestic not in any sense about him and Cherie - I have never seen a couple get on as those two, it’s not that."
Lord Bragg’s comments are the latest in a series of reports that Mr Blair considered resigning earlier this year.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that Downing Street had no idea Lord Bragg was about to comment publicly about Mr Blair and his family. "I must admit it took us a bit by surprise as much as anybody else," said the spokesman.
On the question of whether Mr Blair had considered quitting, a Downing Street spokesman said he had "nothing to add".
But Dr Reid denied that the famous summer "wobble" had brought Mr Blair to the brink of quitting.
He said: "I think I know the Prime Minister as well as anyone. These stories are simply untrue.
"At no stage did the Prime Minister indicate to me or anyone else that we was about to resign or make any pre-resignation announcement."
He said that anyone in public life was under pressures - including family, personal and social - and that those pressures were heaviest on the Prime Minister, but he refused to discuss Mr Blair’s private life.
Dr Reid said that in the summer, both in terms of domestic policy and the aftermath of the war in Iraq, Mr Blair had been under great pressure and his colleagues had gathered round and supported him.
The Cabinet Minister’s comments backed up Mr Blair’s assertion at his last Prime Ministerial press conference that he had never considered quitting.
The No 10 press office denied suggestions that Lord Bragg had consulted Mr Blair before making his comments and that it was a bid to win sympathy for the Prime Minister.
Some insiders believe that at the height of the "wobble" Mr Blair told Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown he was ready to stand down in his favour and that his decision not to do so has led to recent new tensions between Labour’s two top men.
See also previous articles:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/06/293456.html http://prisonplanet.tv/articles/july2004/070204suicidebid.htm http://www.stupid-boy.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10349&mode=linear http://www.barficulture.com/community/main/topic.php/40584
CS
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