Blair: I will retire 'within weeks'
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he will make a "definitive announcement" about his future next week - and all but endorsed Gordon Brown as his successor at No 10.
Mr Blair is now expected to announce next Wednesday or Thursday that he is resigning as Labour Party leader, a move which should see his replacement as prime minister in Downing Street by July 2.
The premier used a GMTV interview marking 10 years since his May 1 landslide general election victory to say: "I will make my position clear next week. I will say something definitive then."
And later touring Scotland in the run-up to local elections on Thursday he said: "Within the next few weeks I won't be prime minister of this country.
In all probability, a Scot will become prime minister of the United Kingdom. That's someone who has built one of the strongest economies in the world and who I've always said will make a great prime minister."
On GMTV Mr Blair said of the Chancellor: "One of the things I very much hope will be part of the legacy of the Government is the strongest economy in the Western world, which he has been responsible for. I have always said about him that he would make a great prime minister and I believe that."
Mr Blair is expected to officially endorse Mr Brown as his successor when he makes his announcement next week, amid signs that no other member of the Cabinet is now prepared to mount a bid for the leadership.
But he had a warning for whoever takes over, when he addressed Labour Party workers at their London HQ.
He urged the party to keep its "core of steel" and the "psychological strength" to win a fourth term in power.
To cheers and warm applause from about 80 workers, he said: "We can look back on this period with tremendous pride. However, I did say never be complacent and we shouldn't be.
"I think in a sense what should motivate us is not just a pride about the past but actually to get excited and thrilled and motivated about the future and the challenges that remain. It's only if you govern for a significant period of time that you can make change go deep."
He said the "psychology of a governing party is different from the psychology of an opposition party".
A governing party needed the psychology to deal with difficult times, "an inner strength, the core of steel that allows you to continue election after election, governing day after governing day, taking the criticism but also prepared to take responsibility", he said.
"That's what we have tried to do and that's what we have tried to keep. We are looking now to how we can form a fourth term Labour government, but it's only if we can keep that psychological strength we will be able to do that."
