From
the Herald Sun:
Blair 'to quit at next poll'
From correspondents in London
01aug05
BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair has told his family and close political allies that he would quit as a member of parliament at the next general elections, a newspaper reported today.
The move would help avert any charge that he is lingering in the House of Commons to act as a backseat driver to his expected Labour successor, Gordon Brown, The Guardian reported.
Mr Blair, 52, had discussed his intentions with his wife, Cherie, and some of his oldest political allies had been told of his plans for "a clean break", it said.
The newspaper said Mr Blair was not interested in becoming a reforming European Union president, despite talk of that.
One source said that apart from writing his memoirs Mr Blair also wantedto do something relevant to his religious beliefs, including promoting inter-faith unity.
His decision buries suggestions that he might rethink his intention to stand down as prime minister and party leader near the end of his third term, which he won during elections on May 5.
There had been private urgings from some Blair supporters that the sudden revival in his political fortunes since the general election would prompt him to rethink his pledge to stand aside, a promise made eight months before polling day and at a low point in his morale, it said.
Mr Blair has been MP for Sedgefield in northern England since 1983, after unexpectedly winning the Labour Party nomination there at the age of 30.
Previous former prime ministers John Major and Edward Heath stayed in the Commons after their election defeats.