End inner party power struggle: Blair

British Prime Minister Tony Blair called on his Labour Party Sunday to cease inner party power struggle and concentrate instead on issues such as immigration and terror.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of this year's annual Labour Party conference beginning Sunday in Manchester, Blair said the question of his successor as party head and as prime minister "will deal with itself in due course".

Blair is to give a keynote speech at the conference on Tuesday. He had said earlier this month that it would be his last annual Labour conference as leader after coming under fierce pressure.

Blair then told opponents within the party that he would give up his offices "within 12 months". Party members then called on him to stand down at the beginning of next year.

Strong factions within the party, who support Blair's rival the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, have demanded a date be set for the handover of power.

In interviews with the BBC and other media Sunday, Blair refused to "play the game" after being asked to comment on a date and on a possible successor and warned that such a discussion was "very dangerous." The public had the impression that Labour was preoccupied with itself.

He added: "The public out there are angry about that. They do not want to see their government do that. They want us to govern."

--DPArs (IANS)

Viewer's Comment

Comments Not Available

More Stories