49 Labour MPs back Blair in letter

12 April 2012

A letter signed by 49 MPs has been sent to Tony Blair, urging him to stick to his guns in refusing to set out a precise timetable for his departure.

Regent's Park and Kensington North MP Karen Buck, who organised the letter, said it had been made quite clear that Blair would be leaving within a year or so to bring about an "orderly, planned transition".

She told BBC Radio 4's PM that she understood 10 Downing Street was "quite content" with Mr Miliband's intervention supporting this assumption.

If Mr Blair were to be more explicit about his plans, he would spark a "day-by-day, hour-by-hour countdown" to his resignation, which no Prime Minister could tolerate, she said.

"We are in a completely unprecedented situation here, where a sitting Prime Minister has given advance notification that he will be standing down," said Ms Buck.

"I think that's good enough.

"I'm looking forward to the leadership contest. I'm looking forward to a new leader.

"I will be supporting Gordon Brown.

"I think that's absolutely fine, and I think it's completely reasonable for that to take place in the kind of loose timetable we are talking about."

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