The Winds of Change
The winds of change are blowing through Downing Street.
A letter is being circulated throughout Parliament urging Blair to set a date for his departure. It has, so far, been supported by 50 backbenchers.
Even Blair will know that movements like this, once started, have a habit of gaining momentum until they eventually prove unstoppable. The writing is now on the wall.
More ominously for Mr Blair, there is now open talk that the problem for Labour on the doorsteps of those who canvassed, was Blair himself.
Even, once loyal, Blairites are joining the battle. Nick Raynsford has said, "I now think it's going to be necessary to set out a timetable for the change of leadership, though I do not think we should be specific or seek to impose one. But the objective of stability for ministers to deliver on key policies will not be possible if there is uncertainty over the leadership. Ministers will be continually looking over their shoulders."
There is talk that the Prime Minister is to have a meeting with Gordon Brown over the weekend to discuss where they go from here.
Mr Brown has warned that the government needed to act to renew itself "within days".
Labour lost 306 seats and 18 councils in the local elections. It's worst result since 1982.
Mr Blair sought to re-impose his authority yesterday by carrying out his widest ranging cabinet reshuffle of all time, but it appears that, even a move as drastic as this, has not been enough to stem the calls for his departure.
I said yesterday that I thought it looked like a last desperate throw of the dice. It now appears that the Labour Party has seen it in exactly the same way.
The days of Blair are over.
All we now require is the exact date of when he leaves office.
For everyone's sake, he should make that sooner rather than later.
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