Downing Street confirmed on Wednesday that British Prime
Minister Tony Blair will "make an announcement" on his future as
Labor leader on Thursday morning.
Blair would tell cabinet colleagues about his intentions on
Thursday morning but would make no public statement in Downing
Street before making his plans public in a speech in his Sedgefield
constituency, said his official spokesman, the British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC) reported.
The spokesman said Blair would be "focused" on the job of being
prime minister until his successor is chosen by Labor in about
seven weeks.
Downing Street said earlier that Blair would be "fully engaged"
across domestic and international affairs until he steps down.
These include the reform on health and education, as well as the
forthcoming G8 and EU summits.
Heavyweight contesters from the cabinet are now all giving up
their bid for the Labor leadership so as to keep a united Labor
following its blow in the local elections. Chancellor Gordon Brown
is the clear favorite to succeed Blair, but he still has to wait
about seven weeks to take over.
Blair has expressed his support for Gordon Brown to lead the
Labor party into the next general election, saying that the party
can bounce back from its latest poll setbacks.
"Gordon Brown by contrast is completely thought through," said
Blair, adding "He has steered our economy from one of boom and bust
to one of the best in the world."
"He didn't do it by choosing the easy way. He did it by sound
judgment, holding his nerve and putting the long-term interests of
Britain first. At general election time, that is still the route to
victory."
In last Thursday's mid-term local elections across Britain, the
Labor lost Scotland and gave ground to the Conservatives. And the
Labor was ousted as the biggest force in the Scottish Parliament
and was left looking for a coalition partner to keep power in the
Welsh Assembly.
(Xinhua News agency May 10, 2007)
