British Prime Minister Tony Blair will stand down as an MP at the next election, his party agent and close confidant John Burton has predicted.
Mr Burton said the Prime Minister had not explicitly told him he will quit the Commons along with No 10.
But the Sedgefield constituency Labour party chairman said: "I can't see him as a backbencher."
Downing Street on Monday dismissed reports that Mr Blair will quit as an MP at the election saying "it is not an issue he has turned his mind to".
Mr Blair announced he would serve a third term then quit as PM ahead of the forthcoming election when he underwent a heart procedure almost 12 months ago.
The Premier made no mention of whether he would stay on in the Commons but it was reported yesterday that he will stand down.
That is likely, according to Mr Burton, who said: "We have had discussions on him finishing as Prime Minister and I assumed from that.
"It is not something he has said to me but I can't see him standing at the next election. He is not that sort of bloke. I can't see him as a backbencher in the Ted Heath model. He has got more important things to do than that."
Mr Burton insisted reports that Mr Blair had told him he will stand down as an MP were wrong.
"He has spoken to me about standing down as Prime Minister and it is just my opinion that he will not stand at the next election," he said.