http://news.bbc.co.uk/...
A letter from recently-elected Labour MPs is demanding that Tony Blair stand down as prime minister.
The letter signed by MPs elected in 2005 praises Mr Blair's achievements but says it is now time to go, Newsnight's Michael Crick said.
There is also understood to be a less severe letter signed by MPs elected in 2001, and another by ministerial aides.
As many as 50 MPs might have signed one of the three circulating letters, Newsnight said.
Sky TV are saying there are three letters in Circulation
and further to this details have been leaked of the plans as to how Blair intends to go.
http://news.sky.com/...
New details have emerged of how Tony Blair plans to leave Downing Street after 10 years in office.
The Daily Mirror has obtained what it calls the Prime Minister's "secret retirement blueprint".
The five-page document supposedly reveals proposals for a whirlwind tour of the country - and appearances on Blue Peter and Songs Of Praise.
Further details are in the original source of the story
http://www.mirror.co.uk/...
It is starting to feel the same as the end of the Thatcher era in British politics. although the implications of the leaked letter are that the letters that are going round and being signed to get Blair out are being taken seriously, and this is a last gasp attempt to stay in power for another year. as if he is saying, look I have a real plan to leave and it would be unkind to throw me out before hand.
It remains to be seen whether his party calculates that having him around for this extra period will damage their future electoral prospects irreparably.
If he goes, there appear to be Two realistic candidates for the post he is vacating. Gordon Brown the current Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Dr John Reid the current Home Secretary. If Blair backs Reid, and esentially breaks the agreement he made with Brown when he originally got the job, we could see the last two years of the labour government basically become a fratricidal dogfight, with the Brown faction feeling thoroughly betrayed. This would hand power to the Conservatives for at least the next ten years.
Update [2006-9-5 6:10:43 by ceebs]:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5314632.stm
Tony Blair will probably quit in 12 months' time, Cabinet minister David Miliband has said.
It is the first time a senior minister has given a definite timescale, but he stressed Mr Blair had not told him.
The leak combined with this statement makes it even more obvious that this is a last desperate grab for remaining in power. The longer this continues, the Firmer Reeds power base will be, and the less likely the change over will happen without a fight.