Lapdog Taken to Woodshed

Blair "to be replaced" within a year-|-Top News-|-Reuters.com

It's about time. Oh, what I would do for a parliamentary system.

"LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair aims to quit next year after 10 years in office but his reported departure date failed to quell growing opposition to his leadership within the government.

Newspaper reports on Wednesday of an exit date of July 26, 2007 signaled the start of a leadership battle which some fear may paralyze government and prompted two junior members to resign in protest at Blair's determination to hang on.

Finance Minister Gordon Brown is widely expected to take over as leader of the Labour Party and the country, and several key political figures urged the two men to map out a joint leadership. "