CORRECTION: While in the title of this post I correctly said "early next year," I accidentally wrote in the post itself "early next week." What my friend was told was that Blair will step down early NEXT YEAR. Sorry about that.
NOTE FROM JOHN: I'm hijacking Chris' post to let you in on a rumor I heard yesterday. According to a friend who heard it from Tony Blair's people themselves, Blair has total offical Washington that he's stepping down by EARLY NEXT YEAR. I don't have anything further on it, but thought I'd share since Chris had a new Blair post up anyway. JOHN
-----------
With a 26% approval rating, I think Gordon Brown ought to ignore him and press on with the change. The UK has had enough of Blair and his poodle politics, his war mongering, his Soviet-style spying on everyone and his efforts for an eternal reign. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?) It's time to move on whether Blair likes it or not. With his support already bottoming out with the public, Blair's threats seem to be nothing more than hollow words.
Close allies of Tony Blair say that he has warned Gordon Brown he will not endorse him as his successor if he is "deposed" as Prime Minister before he is ready to stand down.
Mr Blair is said to have issued the threat last week after Mr Brown recalled the way Margaret Thatcher was forced out by her own party in 1990. "Remember that when Margaret Thatcher left, it was unstable, it was disorderly and it was undignified," the Chancellor told GMTV.
