EXCLUSIVE: HOW BLAIR WILL GO
Tony Blair
His genuine legacy is not the delivery, important though that is, but the dominance of new Labour ideas - the triumph of Blairism
By Kevin Maguire And Oonagh Blackman

A SENSATIONAL memo leaked to the Mirror reveals how Labour experts are planning Tony Blair's exit from No10.

The retirement blueprint aims to promote the "triumph of Blairism" and allow the PM to quit on a wave of euphoria after 10 years in office.

The secret strategy - drawn up by a small group of loyalists - is well under way.

Advertisement
Falk AdSolution

Mr Blair's "farewell tour" includes plans to appear on Blue Peter, Songs of Praise and Chris Evans' radio show.

The five-page memo, drawn up by a close-knit group around the leader including party guru Philip Gould, suggests the PM is nearer to stepping down than he publicly admits.

It warns: "Time is not an unlimited commodity."

And more concerned with his place in history than the success of his policies, the paper - seen by the Mirror - boasts: "His genuine legacy is not the delivery, important though that is, but the dominance of new Labour ideas...the triumph of Blairism.

"As TB enters his final phase he needs to be focusing way beyond the finishing line, not looking at it.

"He needs to go with the crowds wanting more. He should be the star who won't even play that last encore. In moving towards the end he must focus on the future."

The plan to spin Mr Blair's exit and to promote him as a PM the public will be sad to see the back of is bound to anger Gordon Brown, favourite to succeed him. The document accepts the pair's strained relationship could deteriorate further.

The possible reactions of the Chancellor, who fears the longer Mr Blair stays the stronger the Tories will become, are prepared for under a section labelled "threats and opportunities".

It warns: "There are specific issues which can provide opportunities and threats. They are: GB's reaction...the more successful we are the more it will agitate and possibly destabilise him, we need to consider how to deal."

It is said Mr Blair will appear on Blue Peter and negotiations are believed to be under way for him to go on Songs of Praise. The memo also says invitations are being sought to appear on Chris Evans' Radio 2 slot plus half a dozen other popular programmes. Other revelations include:

SPENDING a day then an overnight stay in half a dozen cities across the country.

VISITING the 20 most striking buildings opened or redeveloped since 1997.

INCREASING the number of high-profile tours of schools and hospitals.

AVOIDING discussing Mr Blair's job offers - fuelling rumours he's received approaches.

The memo also suggests the PM travels to Wales and Scotland to argue devolution is a success ahead of next spring's elections, gives set-piece interviews once a month to foreign newspapers to boost his international standing and proposes "careful" handling of how he also quits as MP for Sedgefield in County Durham.

The extraordinary memo will heighten speculation that Mr Blair is already on his last lap and is privately preparing to depart some time around May next year when he celebrates 10 years in power.

He last week failed to end speculation over his retirement date when he ruled out naming the day at Labour's annual conference in Manchester later this month. He pointedly accused Cabinet Ministers and Labour MPs, led by Mr Brown, of "obsessing" over the timing. Yet the No 10 memo reveals how the issue is dominating thinking deep inside the Downing Street bunker.

IRAQ also continues to cast a long shadow over the Premier's record, the document openly acknowledges. It says: "We need to incorporate this into our media plan. It's the elephant in the room, let's face up to it." The memo concludes: "Most importantly, are we up for it? Is TB up for it?"

And the memo came as it was revealed last night that a group of newly-elected Labour MPs have drafted a letter calling for the PM's resignation.

Mr Blair's final weeks in office will be particularly carefully choreographed to ensure cheers rather than jeers. Under the heading "Last month" the memo suggests: "Needs a daily grid, planned to the last detail.

"As much as possible a farewell tour, looking to the future, making sure the party is in the right place and the public remember him as he should be."

The strategy is already under way as the PM embarks on a reputation-enhancing series of lectures.

Mr Blair wants to be seen on TV in more "real-life situations" with people instead of politicians and is to focus on areas such as technology, genetics and family relationships. The memo says: "He needs to embrace open spaces, the arts and businesses, he needs to be seen to be travelling on different forms of transport. He needs to be seen with people who will raise eyebrows.

"He needs to travel around the UK to be carefully positioned as someone who while not above politics, is certainly distancing himself from the political village. He should be dropping references in all that he does which reflect his energy and enthusiasm.

"This needs to move on from 'I'm getting on with the job' to 'this is a great job, I'm very lucky, I won't have it one day and before that day comes I still have lots to do and say'."

Among the Downing Street aides involved with the document are Ruth Turner, David Hill, Liz Lloyd, John McTernan and spin doctor Dave Hill.

PARTS that have already been implemented include an outing on Radio 5 Live's 606 football phone-in to talk about England's World Cup prospects with presenter Adrian Chiles.

The document, headed "Reconnecting with the public - a new relationship with the media", was prepared earlier this year.

It was produced around the time of Labour's "Black Wednesday" when Mr Blair was rocked by a series of scandals that weakened his position.

The conflagration of Deputy PM John Prescott's affair, a row over the release of foreign prisoners and nurses booing Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt shook No 10's foundations.

But it shows Mr Blair and his aides want him to keep his hand on the tiller until the moment he leaves.

Sketching out his exit it says: "One where we make it clear that the PM will be spending his final period in office preparing Britain for its future challenges, setting out what they are and connecting with the public who gave him the chance to serve."

The document also calls on aides to make it clear how much they have loved working with Mr Blair.

It wants him to be seen in "iconic locations" and away from the "traditional backdrops of public buildings and lecterns".

Advertisement
Falk AdSolution

It says: "In seeking to achieve this the whole operation should reflect the change in the political atmosphere: TB focusing on his priorities' TB laying the foundations for the future based on his experience in office. This positive approach needs to be reflected not only by TB but by all those who work and support him. We should show how much we enjoy working for TB, what pride we take in our work and how we want his premiership to end on a high." Mr Blair intends to present himself as above the political fray, both within the Labour Party and against enemies.

The memo reads: "While we need to do what is required to defend the Government and ensure a clarity of message, we should not be drawn into hand to hand combat.

BUT if some of our own side are not prepared to accept this, and the Tories step up their attacks then we will have to revisit...but this whole approach has been adopted to avoid that, so we should work on the basis that we will have achieved this.

"As ever, this is not rocket science, we know what works well: strong, policy-focused events which have substance, striking pictures, words from TB and real people involved.

"But it is essential that we do all we can in our message and planning to ensure that we do not get knocked off by events."

The group of MPs calling for the PM to quit include Blairites Sion Simon and Chris Bryant. It was signed by a number of the 38 first elected in 2001.

Its contents were being kept secret last night. But one MP involved said: "If the Prime Minister has decided that to set a timetable will undermine his authority, and his authority is already undermined, the obvious thing is for him to go now."

The letter came as the Tories maintained a strong lead over Labour in a Populus poll for today's Times.

But the good news for Labour is that 33 per cent of voters would vote for the party if Mr Brown took over.

Just 30 per cent want Mr Blair to quit now and 40 per cent voted for him to stay until the next election.

Labour MPs are increasingly predicting disastrous results in Welsh and Scottish Parliamentary elections next May. This has led growing numbers of backbenchers to call on the PM to make his departure date clear way before those elections.

But the memo says: "Wales and Scotland - devolution despite the bumpy ride has been a success, TB should embrace this. His profile should be raised in the major urban areas in advance of the elections."

Iraq: We need to incorporate this into our media plan. It's the elephant in the room, let's face up to it. Most importantly - are we up for it? Is TB up for it?

As TB enters his final phase he needs to be focusing way beyond the finishing line, not looking at it. He needs to go with the crowds wanting more. He should be the star who won't even play that last encore

Last month - needs a daily grid, planned to the last detail. As much as possible a farewell tour, looking to the future, making sure the party is in the right place and the public remember him as he should be

There are specific issues which can provide opportunities and threats. They are: GB's reaction - the more successful we are the more it will agitate and possibly destabilise him, we need to consider how to deal

 http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=17684874%26method=full%26siteid=94762%26headline=exclusive%2d%2dhow%2dblair%2dwill%2dgo-name_page.html

Britain's Blair Faces Revolt Within Own Party
By BETH GARDINER, AP

LONDON (Sept. 6) - Prime Minister Tony Blair was locked in a fight Wednesday to keep control over when he leaves office, with 15 Labour lawmakers demanding he step down. They included eight junior members who resigned to protest his refusal to do so.

Blair warned the rebels that infighting would jeopardize the governing Labour Party's effort to hold onto power, while top officials sent strong signals that the prime minister intended to leave office within a year.

Blair's office could not immediately confirm reports that the prime minister intended to make a public statement on his future Thursday. The prime minister intended to use a scheduled visit to a London school with Education Secretary Alan Johnson to make his intentions clear, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported.

The revolt of low-level officials was unlikely to dislodge Blair from office, though it could help force him to speed up his departure and raised fears the eventual change of command in Britain would be rancorous and messy.

Blair, who led Labour to its third straight election win last year, has said he would not seek a fourth term. He also promised to give his successor - widely expected to be Treasury chief Gordon Brown - time to settle into office before the next election, expected in 2009.

Pressure for the prime minister to announce a departure date has intensified in recent weeks, fueled by widespread anger at Blair's handling of fighting between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants.

Most Popular Stories




* · Fred Goldman Wants O.J. Simpson's Publicity Rights
* · Guest Charged in Horrific Killing Spree at Maine Inn
* · Teen 'Thought Only of Escape' During Captivity
* · Tropical Storm Florence Gathers Strength
* · It's a Boy for Japan's Royal Couple




The prime minister's office said Wednesday he planned to visit the Middle East soon in a bid to restart the Arab-Israeli peace process. But the announcement did little to placate government rebels and others demanding Blair be specific about when he will hand over power.

Labour legislators anxious about a slide in popularity - one recent poll showed the party 9 points behind the opposition Conservatives - fear the uncertainty about his tenure is damaging their electoral hopes.

The eight junior officials said they quit rather than remove their names from the letter demanding the prime minister step aside. They were among 15 Labour lawmakers who signed the letter, writing that while they support the centrist direction Blair has taken the party, he was no longer the man to lead it.

"Sadly, it is clear to us - as it is to almost the entire party and the entire country - that without an urgent change in the leadership of the party it becomes less likely that we will win election," said the letter, released Wednesday.

Tom Watson, the most senior of those to resign, was minister for veterans in the Ministry of Defense. "I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country," he said in a separate resignation letter to Blair.

The seven other lawmakers who quit their jobs - Khalid Mahmood, Wayne David, Ian Lucas, Mark Tami, David Wright, Iain Wright and Chris Mole - had worked as unpaid aides to government ministers.

After receiving Watson's letter, Blair said he would have fired Watson if he had not quit. The prime minister called Watson's decision to sign the lawmakers' letter "disloyal, discourteous and wrong."

"To put (the party's gains) at risk in this way is simply not a sensible, mature or intelligent way of conducting ourselves if we want to remain a governing party," Blair wrote.

Last week, the prime minister shrugged off demands that he announce his plans at Labour's annual conference this month. Announcing a departure date would likely make him an instant lame duck.

But his health secretary and close ally, Patricia Hewitt, said Wednesday that Blair "has made it clear that he will step down next year," the strongest statement yet from a Cabinet minister about when Blair might leave.

"Everyone knows that the contest for the new leadership will take place next year," Hewitt said. "It is madness for some Labour (lawmakers) to demand conditions from the prime minister."

Many Labour stalwarts were furious at Blair's stance on the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, saying his refusal to call for an early cease-fire was simply a parroting of President Bush's position, which critics saw as tacitly allowing Israel to bomb Lebanon for weeks.

David - one of the seven lawmakers who resigned - said Blair's handling of the Mideast crisis demonstrated he was detached from the views of his party's supporters.

The Sun newspaper reported Wednesday that Blair intended to resign as Labour leader on May 31, triggering a leadership election likely to take about eight weeks. He would then be replaced as prime minister on July 26, the newspaper said, without citing sources.

Blair's official spokesman declined to comment on the report, saying only that any leak to the newspaper had not been authorized.

Opposition Conservative leader David Cameron, whose party has surged in the polls since he took charge in December, commented Wednesday during a visit to India: "What seems to have happened ... is a complete meltdown."

 http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/britains-blair-faces-revolt-within-own/20060906093309990008?cid=2194