Blair will resign as PM tomorrow
9th May 2007
Daily Mail
Mr Blair will first inform Government colleagues of his departure at the regular weekly Cabinet meeting tomorrow
Tony Blair is widely expected to announce his departure tomorrow at his constituency in Sedgefield.
It is believed Mr Blair will first inform Government colleagues at the regular weekly Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street before flying to his constituency in County Durham, where he kicked off his parliamentary career in 1983.
Both the Prime Minister and the Queen flew back to London last night, and many at Westminster expect Mr Blair to use his regular weekly audience at Buckingham Palace to inform Her Majesty in advance of his intentions.
But his official spokesman was yesterday unable to confirm whether an audience was scheduled for today.
Mr Blair's expected announcement tomorrow will not trigger his immediate departure as Prime Minister, but will kick off a process expected to result in the handover of the reins of power to Mr Brown around the start of July.
The statement will come hot on the heels of yesterday's restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, which Mr Blair hopes will cement peace in the province as a central part of his legacy as Prime Minister.
Mr Blair returned from Belfast following the historic scenes at Stormont yesterday evening, as the Queen was flying home from her visit to the United States.
Neither 10 Downing Street nor the Labour Party would last night reveal details of Mr Blair's plans for the rest of this week.
Labour's ruling National Executive Committee has laid down a seven-week process to elect successors to Mr Blair and his deputy John Prescott, who has said he will step down at the same time.
This will culminate in a special party conference, probably on the weekend of June 30, at which a new leader and deputy leader will be named.
Mr Blair will then be driven to the Palace, probably on Monday July 2, to resign as Prime Minister and hand over the Seals of Office to the Queen.
He will be followed by the new leader - almost certainly Mr Brown - who will be invited by Her Majesty to form a new Government.
dailymail.co.uk
9th May 2007
Daily Mail
Mr Blair will first inform Government colleagues of his departure at the regular weekly Cabinet meeting tomorrow
Tony Blair is widely expected to announce his departure tomorrow at his constituency in Sedgefield.
It is believed Mr Blair will first inform Government colleagues at the regular weekly Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street before flying to his constituency in County Durham, where he kicked off his parliamentary career in 1983.
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Both the Prime Minister and the Queen flew back to London last night, and many at Westminster expect Mr Blair to use his regular weekly audience at Buckingham Palace to inform Her Majesty in advance of his intentions.
But his official spokesman was yesterday unable to confirm whether an audience was scheduled for today.
Mr Blair's expected announcement tomorrow will not trigger his immediate departure as Prime Minister, but will kick off a process expected to result in the handover of the reins of power to Mr Brown around the start of July.
The statement will come hot on the heels of yesterday's restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, which Mr Blair hopes will cement peace in the province as a central part of his legacy as Prime Minister.
Mr Blair returned from Belfast following the historic scenes at Stormont yesterday evening, as the Queen was flying home from her visit to the United States.
Neither 10 Downing Street nor the Labour Party would last night reveal details of Mr Blair's plans for the rest of this week.
Labour's ruling National Executive Committee has laid down a seven-week process to elect successors to Mr Blair and his deputy John Prescott, who has said he will step down at the same time.
This will culminate in a special party conference, probably on the weekend of June 30, at which a new leader and deputy leader will be named.
Mr Blair will then be driven to the Palace, probably on Monday July 2, to resign as Prime Minister and hand over the Seals of Office to the Queen.
He will be followed by the new leader - almost certainly Mr Brown - who will be invited by Her Majesty to form a new Government.
dailymail.co.uk
