Dennis Healey: Blair is losing it - go now!

thisislondon: One of Labour's most respected elder statesmen has called on Tony Blair to stand down immediately as Prime Minister and hand over power to Gordon Brown.

Former Chancellor Lord Healey said that Mr Blair had been "losing his grip" over the past two years, and the sooner he moved on the better it would be.

His comments came as a newspaper poll suggested that Mr Brown enjoys a commanding lead over Conservative leader David Cameron as voters' preferred successor to Mr Blair at 10 Downing Street.

Lord Healey - who was Defence Secretary and Chancellor as Denis Healey and narrowly missed out on the Labour leadership in 1980 - has been a long-term critic of Mr Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq.

He also cited the imposition of university tuition fees and the establishment of foundation hospitals as fundamental errors made by the Prime Minister.

Asked on BBC1's Sunday AM when he thought Mr Blair should step down, Lord Healey responded: "I think it is time now. Over the last two years, with the intervention in Iraq, then university entrance fees and foundation hospitals, I think Tony's showing he is losing his grip, and the sooner Gordon takes over the better." Read more

db: Frankly I'd rather not see any current cabinet members leading Labour - but this is FUN!