LONDON - Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing unprecedented Labour opposition to his reforms agenda, but has vowed to fight all the way to ensure that the proposed reforms on education and health get a fair share of attention.
Last week, 64 Labour MPs switched sides to vote against Blair's Terrorism bill, which would have allowed a 90-day detention of those suspected to be terrorists. Blair himself was in a reflective mood in an article appearing in Sunday's edition of News of the World newspaper. "I am sorry because the terrorist threat we face is not imagined. Hardly a day goes by without some country somewhere in the world falling victim to it. Last week it was Jordan, the week before it was India, a short time before that Egypt," he wrote in the article.
Blair, who has been at the helm since his 1997 landslide election victory, has faced opposition to his reforms and calls are getting louder that he abdicate and allow a new face to lead Britain. Chancellor Gordon Brown is seen to be a natural successor, but his claims have been sullied by an under performing economy.
Blair said that the focus in future would be reforms in education, hospital waiting times, pensions and welfare benefits. "All of this will require more difficult decisions and strong leadership.... but there is no doubt it will be worth it if, as a result, Britain is better, fairer, and stronger," he wrote in the article adding that ""more needs to be done if we are to meet our ambitions for this country and its people." Blair admitted that he was in for a 'rough ride', but indicated that he was ready to get on with it.
Meanwhile, Brown has called on Labour MPs to unite and work together, "We have to listen and learn and talk to people round the country and that is why I am going round the country to listen and visit the regions and listen to what people say," Mr. Brown said.
Posted
on : Mon, 14 Nov 2005 01:35 GMT | Politics News
By : Salim Patel
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