British Prime Minister Tony Blair to resign on June 27

Thursday, May 10, 2007

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the Cabinet of the UK government the date when he will stand down from office and allow his successor to take over as leader of the Labour party, and thus Prime Minister, in a private meeting.

"The prime minister started cabinet by acknowledging that it wasn't quite a normal day. He confirmed that he would be going to his constituency. He confirmed that he would make an announcement. He also confirmed that announcement would be about his intentions and that those intentions had not changed," said the official spokesman for Blair.

Just before 11:00 a.m. local time he arrived at Teeside Airport, England, on his way to his parliamentary constituency of Sedgefield, where he was expected to publicly announce his resignation, to fulfill a promise to his constituents that they would be the first to know news of his departure.

Blair arrived at the Trimdon Village Labour Club in Sedgefield at 11:25 a.m. where he was greeted by supporters with banners and a large international media presence. At midday he made a speech that named 27 June 2007 as the date when he will officially step down as prime minister.

It is widely reported that the current Chancellor, Gordon Brown, will replace Blair. In the morning's fifteen-minute-long Cabinet meeting, Brown is said to have described Blair's premiership as a "unique leadership".

Sources

Matthee Tempest and agencies. "Blair tells cabinet he will quit" — Guardian Unlimited, May 10, 2007
BBC News. "Blair tells Cabinet he will quit" — BBC News Online, May 10, 2007

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