NO SHORT SHRIFT

Blair rethink on weapons inquiry (James Cusick, 13 July 2003, Sunday Herald)

Blair has been consistent in his belief that 'concrete evidence' of weapons of mass destruction will be found by the US-led Iraq Survey Group. An independent inquiry could give the government breathing space while the survey group delivered, and would also allow Blair to insist that nothing was being hidden.

Downing Street is also anxious to end what one source called 'the current open season on Tony Blair' from his backbench critics. This was a clear reference to the sustained attack by former Cabinet minister Clare Short, who this morning on GMTV advised Blair that there were 'two good years until the next general election' and that he should leave office 'before the situation got nastier'.

Although Short publicly attacked Blair's handling of the euro debate, claiming the Prime Minister had manufactured a 'great big division' between himself and the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, Downing Street knows Short's private attacks contain far more venom. One of her claims centres on an alleged attempt by Blair to renegotiate a deal between himself and the Chancellor about succession, involving an agreed date.

Yesterday Downing Street dispatched the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, to defend Blair. Blunkett focused on his despair over what he called the 'plot' to eject Blair from Number 10. He said Short was being 'typically self-indulgent' and added: 'I do not understand why people would plot to try and change the most successful leader in Labour's history.'

How about, because his success has been based on his opposition to traditional Labour ideology? Posted by Orrin Judd at July 13, 2003 6:39 AM