Robin Cook (Guardian Utd): Blair must step down sooner rather than later

From the Guardian Unlimited (UK)
Dated Saturday May 7

Take a long hard look at yourself
Tony Blair must listen to the voters and step down sooner rather than later
By Robin Cook, MP

It is rather odd for Tony Blair to respond to the election results by spending the weekend reshuffling the jobs of everyone else. A more fitting response might have been to take time out to reflect on the implications of the result for how long he stays in his own job.

In any such reflection, he could put down on the positive side of the balance sheet his historic achievements in remoulding the Labour party into the natural party of government. There is much satisfaction to be gained from looking back on a unique record of three victories in a row for Labour.

But he must also be more candid with himself about the qualified character of the latest victory than some of his closest allies were being with the nation yesterday. Labour won the first two landslides partly because of Tony Blair's popular appeal. This time Tony Blair was elected because the Labour government was more popular than he is. If he wishes to be remembered for his electoral success, he might be sensible to stand down before the next public test of his popularity in ballots to local councils, to devolved bodies or on a European referendum.

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Robin Cook represents the Livingston constituency in the House of Commons. He served as Foreign Secretary in the first Blair government and Leader of the Commons in the second before reigning from the cabinet in protest of the invasion of Iraq.

continues apace.