Applause for Blair
Tony Blair today received a round of applause as he entered the first meeting of the new Parliamentary Labour Party.
And he told MPs to look for a fourth term in government – albeit with a different leader.
The Prime Minister went into the lunchtime meeting preparing to defend his position against his critics in the backbenches after a number spoke out against him in the weekend papers.
Labour was returned to government last week with a vastly reduced majority of 67, down from the previous term’s 161, but Mr Blair today pledged to secure his party’s future.
“We can build out from this to a fourth term victory. a fourth term is there for us,” he told Labour MPs, although he stressed that he would stand down at the end of this term and allow a new leader to take over.
He continued: “Our job is to implement the manifesto but it’s only going to be carried through if we are united as a political party.”
With a reduced majority, Mr Blair cannot afford the large-scale rebellions of the previous term and must cultivate a better relationship with many backbenchers.
Whether he marked the start of a more co-operative period of government today remains a matter of contention.
Labour rebel Bob Marshall-Andrews, who spoke out against the prime minister’s leadership, said afterwards: “He simply will not take on board any of the criticisms.”
But a former aide to former cabinet minister Robin Cook – who has also been a sharp critic – Ken Purchase, said that anyone who tried to criticise Mr Blair was “shouted down”.
“On the back of a third Labour election victory, it is no surprise people feel pretty protective towards the guy,” he said.
Defence Secretary John Reid said it had been a “great meeting”, adding: “The silent majority are silent no longer. They made their view known and you saw it in a standing ovation just now.”
