I'll quit Commons at next election, Blair tells family and friends

[Anarcho-Socialist]

I'll quit Commons at next election, Blair tells family and friends

Patrick Wintour, chief political correspondent
Monday August 1, 2005
The Guardian

Tony Blair will stand down as an MP at the next general election, he has told his family and close political allies.
His move will help avert any charge that he is lingering in the Commons to act as a backseat driver to his expected Labour successor, Gordon Brown. Mr Blair has discussed the issue with his wife, Cherie, and some of his oldest political allies have been told of his plans for "a clean break".

His friends say he is not seeking a frontline political role outside British politics, such as president of the European Commission, or some other big international body, such as the United Nations.
There had been suggestions that as a relatively young man he would be willing to act as a reforming EU president, but the idea of negotiating changes with other elected European politicians does not appeal.

One source said that apart from writing his memoirs Mr Blair also wants to do something relevant to his religious beliefs, including promoting inter-faith unity. His decision buries suggestions that he may rethink his intention to stand down as prime minister and party leader near the end of his current term.

(snip)

The most logical date for Mr Blair's announcement that he is to quit the Commons will be when he sets out the timing of his resignation as prime minister. Calls for him to stand aside as premier next year have evaporated, leaving 2007 as the next possible date. He will have been prime minister for a decade in the spring of 2007, but two years into a possibly five-year term could hardly be described as serving the promised "full term".

Source: http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,9061,1540131,00.html

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Not soon enough

I'd like to recommended retirement home for him . . .



The Palace of Peace
The Hague
Home of the International Criminal Court

Photo from the Instituut voor Internationaal Reecht (Belgium)

[wli]

2. yes, he should resign immediately and turn himself in

As should Dubya et al.

:kick:

[Mr Creosote]

3. That can't be true

Bliar has "friends"? No way.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

6. lol n/t

[moggie]

11. Of course!

Anyone who makes a big donation.

[ikri]

4. Tuesday, 2 September 2008

Why this date? It'll make Tony's term as Prime Minister 1 day longer than Thatcher's (11 years 209 days for the Milk Snatcher).

[LeftishBrit]

5. That'd be the day, but...

'His move will help avert any charge that he is lingering in the Commons to act as a backseat driver to his expected Labour successor, Gordon Brown'

Nope, he'll get himself put into the Lords and act as a backseat driver from there!

[non sociopath skin]

7. Will Blair sit as a crossbencher or be honest and sit as a Tory?

The Skin

[Anarcho-Socialist]

8. I wonder if his departure

will coincide with Lords reform and he'll walk into some role like Senate-Emperor of the Upper Chamber?

[non sociopath skin]

10. .... and make his horse consul, maybe?

It would be an improvement on some of his cronies.

The Skin

[non sociopath skin]

9. When do we start the whip-round....

... got some old pre-Euro 10 centime coins I need to get rid of ...

The Skin

[moggie]

12. Yawn

Anything he says now about his departure is just spin. For example: "he is not seeking a frontline political role outside British politics". Of course he's going to say that, but who'd want to bet on him turning down a meaty international role if one were offered?

"Mr Blair also wants to do something relevant to his religious beliefs, including promoting inter-faith unity". Well, Tony, I'm sure an opening could be found for you to do suitable humanitarian work in Iraq.

[Taxloss]

13. The whispers are true - Ugly Rumours is reforming!

Oh, framptious day.

Seriously, though, when does Kofi Annan's term end ...?

[Benbow]

14. That's Whitehall-speak for: TB receptive to lucrative sinecure approaches

All seriously overpaid ^H^H^H^ serious offers considered. No Old Labour ideas ^H^H^H^ time-wasters.

He is not going to the back-benches.

[evermind]

15. Confirmed by his Labour Party agent according to BBC

Blair 'plans to stand down as MP'

Tony Blair will step down as an MP at the next general election, according to his Labour Party agent.

<snip>

Mr Burton was credited with talent spotting Mr Blair ahead of the 1983 general election and has been his agent in Sedgefield ever since.

He told The Northern Echo: "Tony's said he is packing in as leader and he's not going to stay on the back benches - so I can't see him standing at the next election.

"He has spoken to me about it, and as far as I know he is not going to stand."

Just mentioning it, since the initial report in the Guardian had been more or less denied by No. 10.

[D-Notice]

16. What odds on him

giving it one more shot, just so we'll have defeated the terrorists when he's still in charge?

[evermind]

17. I dunno.. I reckon he can hear that Carlyle board appointment

beckoning.. ;-)

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. It's a question of size of ego

Is his big enough that he'll feel the need to last longer than Thatcher? After that, he needs the money (and it'll be easier for Cherie to earn big speaking fees when he's resigned, since people have kicked up a fuss for here cashing in now), so he will resign. Lots of cash for the biography, lots of speaking fees (especially in the US), plenty of directorships, some 'charidee' work. I predict he'll insert himself into some ecumenical body, since he loves to be all things to all people, and he's had to hold back the christian aspect, since all his advisers say it scares the voters.

[Benbow]

19. Then we can impeach him, if we still want to n/t

I read somewhere - and I have no idea if this is correct - that a president or prime minister cannot be impeached while still in office. When was the last time we impeached anyone - was it Darnley?

[LeftishBrit]

21. Not sure when the last successful impeachment was...

Warren Hastings was impeached in the late 18th century basically for extortion from the Indians when he was Governor General. The impeachment was unsuccessful, but lasted for a number of years, and ruined him financially. One of Pitt's ministers, Lord Melville, was impeached in the early 19th century for corruption; again, it was unsuccessful. I think that was the last impeachment attempt that even got off the ground here; though there were more abortive attempts to impeach Lord Palmerston and other 19th century ministers.

I wouldn't mind reviving the custom just for Tony....

[Mr Creosote]

20. The more I hear of this

the more it sounds like kite flying to me. Some desperate attempt to spontaneously generate a "we want Tony campaign". Fuck off.

[D-Notice]

22. Let's see how

the Sun responds...