Rats leaving a sinking ship

5.18.24pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th Sep 2006

Worried Mr. Blair?

Seven MPs have today resigned from the Government, no real big hitters - in fact some very insignificant MPs but it shows how depressed with the Blair Leadership they are. This follows a number of letters from MPs calling for Blair to name the date of his departure.

The seven are Tom Watson who was a minister and six Parliamentary Private Secretaries - Khalid Mahmood, Wayne David, Ian Lucas, Mark Tami, David Wright and Chris Mole. of course Watson-watchers may be surprised this former loyalist is amongst the number - I suspect you will find whilst Watson was a Blair loyalist he is even more loyal to himself.

Watson wrote in his resignation letter "It is with the greatest sadness that I have to say that I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country." Blair countered this by issuing a statement saying "I had been intending to dismiss him, but wanted to extend to him the courtesy of speaking to him first. Had he come to me privately and expressed his view about the leadership, that would have been one thing. But to sign a round robin letter which was then leaked to the press was disloyal, discourteous and wrong. It would therefore have been impossible for him to remain in government." From my knowledge of Watson the Prime Minister is correct about him being disloyal, discourteous and wrong but saying I was going to sack him still doesn't make it okay Tony!

Virgin Radio is reporting seven Cabinet Ministers have resigned - good to see they can read the PA News stream well...