BRITAIN: Europe minister Geoff Hoon yesterday spectacularly re-ignited the debate about the timing of Tony Blair's departure from office, suggesting Labour could be "in a very bad place" if he remains prime minister until May. But 10 Downing Street reacted tersely, saying Mr Blair was "getting on with the job".
The intervention by Mr Hoon - a Blair loyalist despite having been twice demoted by the prime minister - appeared to dash Mr Blair's hopes of calming the issue before next week's party conference.
Moreover, the former defence secretary signalled that the issue would still be dominating the headlines two weeks later when MPs return to Westminster.
"The first significant event will be when the prime minister meets the parliamentary Labour Party after conference," Mr Hoon told the London Evening Standard. "There will be discussion as far as the leadership is concerned. They will want him to finish at a time that is in the interests of the party and the country."
Mr Hoon also stressed the desire of Labour activists to see Mr Blair leave "on a high" and while still popular.
But he feared this would not be the case if Mr Blair remained in post through a possible drubbing for Labour in next May's English local, Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly elections.
"Having set the outer limits of how long he is staying, that still leaves questions in the context of the elections in May," said Mr Hoon. "A lot of people will be asking if it makes sense for him to carry on through those elections."
He said the prospect of heavy election defeats for a second consecutive year, and of activists jumping ship, could create a dangerous "air gap" for Labour and aid a Conservative recovery.
Asked when Mr Blair should go, Mr Hoon replied: "It is a matter for him, but I hope he will take these factors into account in reaching his decision."
Welsh first minister Rhodri Morgan also called for "minimum distractions" before the May 3rd elections, while pointing to the dilemma facing Mr Blair in choosing a good time to make his exit.
"If you have the party leadership afterwards, as people have spoken about, in May, June or July, then you'll have a kind of phoney war before May 3rd," Mr Morgan told the BBC. "On the other hand, unless you have it a long way before May 3rd, then the problem is you get a diversion into the leadership election."