I am writing this early Wednesday morning, London time. Today may well be the day Blair resigns as Labour Party leader. The announcement is due this week and while Thursday is possible, today seems more likely. Very possible this will be before 12 noon, in time for the US morning shows.
Now I may be wrong but there seems to be a natural timetable for this and a very good reason for Blair to have his day today.
Tuesday saw perhaps the most significant event of Blair's domestic agenda. What has been called the "end of history" in Northern Ireland saw Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, First and Deputy First Ministers took their oath of office in the presence of Blair and his co-architect of the final settlement, the Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
In many ways this should have been a glorious end to a notable premiership. Blair has put through significant developments from changing the constitution of the United Kingdom by devolution to Scotland and Wales as well as Northern Ireland to the focus on Africa and debt relief in return for good governance. Blair's tragedy is that he will forever be remembered for the duplicity and deceit that led the country into the was in Iraq.
So what of the timetable for Wednesday? Well he has a fixed date in the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions at midday. If he is to resign the Labour leadership, it will likely be before then. The Queen should be back in the country after her trip to the USA. A formal notice to her is not needed, that will only occur when his successor is selected by his party. It is, however, quite likely that there will be a short audience as a courtesy. That will mean notice to the party heirarcy and a formal announcement by them or Blair shortly before PMQs.
The afternoon then is the final planning of his "farewell tour" which will likely start in his Sedgefield constituency on Thursday.