POLITICS: Labour: Tony Blair under pressure to stand down: seven Labour members resign

Tony Blair is under intense pressure to name his departure date as his relationship with Gordon Brown hit a new low. Number 10 sources have accused the Chancellor of being behind the letter from 15 Labour MPs, calling for his resignation. The seven Government members who backed the letter have resigned. In a furious response to one of them, Mr Blair said it had been 'disloyal and discourteous' to sign the letter and he was going to sack him anyway. The Prime Minister and Chancellor have met in Downing Street in an attempt to patch up their differences over Mr Blair's future - with the Chancellor apparently demanding that Mr Blair should go early in 2007 - but the two men reached no agreement.

ITN Source | September 6, 2006