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TONY BLAIR yesterday pledged to lead Labour into a third general election, dealing a bitter blow to
the ambitions of Gordon Brown. Ministers fear the disclosure, by the Prime Minister's official spokesman, will cause fresh tension between the pair after several months of relative peace. In the past, Downing Street has flatly refused to comment on speculation about when Mr Blair would decide to hand over the reins of office. But his official spokesman was pressed on whether he would remain throughout the whole of the next Parliament, which would include the subsequent general election campaign, and replied: "Yes". This means that if Labour won, Mr Blair would return to Number 10 to begin a historic third term. The declaration raised the prospect of Mr Blair staying in power for well over a decade and equalling Margaret Thatcher's modern record of three successive victories at the polls - provided, of course, that Labour keeps the support of the electorate. Supporters of Mr Brown are convinced that Mr Blair has decided privately to block the chances of his Chancellor whom Downing Street infamously described as suffering from "psychological flaws" early last year. Although relations have recently improved, the Chancellor is said to be quietly preparing for a future leadership bid. The Telegraph disclosed last week that he sent letters of congratulation to junior ministers promoted in the July re-shuffle in what was interpreted as an attempt to woo supporters. For public consumption, Mr Blair will go to great lengths in his main address at the party conference on Tuesday to praise his Chancellor, saying: "Gordon has done a brilliant job." He will credit Mr Brown's tough decisions on spending with putting Labour within reach of what Downing Street calls "the greatest prize for the next general election", which is to be seen as the party of economic competence. Mr Blair's decision finally puts to rest reports that he had privately decided to stand down from office midway through the next Parliament when he will be 50. Aides said the winning of the third consecutive term was now his highest political ambition and was the feat - which no previous Labour government has achieved - that he hoped would earn him his place in history. The Conservatives last night accused Mr Blair of developing a taste for power and claimed that he would go to any length to block the Chancellor from succeeding him. Michael Ancram, the party chairman, said: "Blair's vaulting ambition knows no bounds. None of us have ever expected him to retire voluntarily from the limelight so I am not surprised that he is once again kicking Gordon Brown in the teeth. However, the British people have the final say at the next election and I believe both men's ambitions will be dashed." Labour is braced for defeat over the plan to sell off the Post Office. Late on Friday the Communications Workers Union forced the leadership to agree to an emergency motion condemning the plans for partial privatisation. "There is a serious possibility of a defeat on the floor of the conference, which would be the first for five years," admitted a party official. |