Nightmare on Downing Street: ghost of Thatcher spooking Blair

[maddezmom]

LONDON (AFP) - The bitter infighting in Prime Minister Tony Blair's party over when he will quit Downing Street is reminiscent of the rancorous way Margaret Thatcher was forced out, knifed by her own side in 1990.

The vultures are circling over the Labour Party leader, demanding his immediate exit, just as they did with titanic Conservative prime minister Thatcher 16 years ago.

Both delivered an impressive three straight general election victories for their parties, but Blair now faces the same situation Thatcher did after 11 years in Downing Street: clinging on to power while their rank and file turn against him.

Mindful of Thatcher's brutal departure -- forced out by discontented colleagues fearing electoral defeat -- Blair thought he had ensured he would leave on his own terms by saying before the last general election in May 2005 that he would not fight another one.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060906/wl_afp/britainpoliticsblairthatcher_060906133655

[Demeter]

1. Baroness Margaret Died? Or Is This a Figurative Ghost?

And if they are going to heave Tony out the door, they sure are taking their sweet time about it. If we had this ability in the US, Dubya would be chopping brush right now, prior to shipping out to the Hague for a little legal excursion.

[bhikkhu]

2. Thatcher left in tears, I recall...

how good it would be for history to repeat itself.