BLACKPOOL (England), Feb 12: British Prime Minister Tony Blair faces a test of his authority next week with two parliamentary votes that risk being derailed by rebels from within the ranks of his own Labour party.
The prime minister has already lost three parliamentary votes since November, the first defeats since he swept to office in 1997 to end 18 years of Conservative party rule, and further setbacks could undermine his standing in the party.
Blair has already said he does not plan to fight another election but intends to serve out most of his third term. Calls for him to step aside and let finance minister Gordon Brown take over will grow if he loses more votes.
Both men’s backers were rattled last week by a surprise election defeat for a vacant parliamentary seat in the Scottish Dunfermline constituency where Brown himself has his home.
Brown has begun taking a higher profile and on Monday will give a major speech on security policy, normally the prime minister’s turf. He denied on Sunday that he and Blair were now operating a “joint premiership” to smooth the transition.
“Tony Blair makes the decisions as prime minister and I get on with my job as chancellor,” Brown told BBC television.
Blair’s majority in parliament was cut in half in an election last year, and he faces a resurgent Conservative opposition with a young new leader. Next week’s parliamentary votes are key to proving Blair can still get laws passed.
First up is a vote on Monday to introduce identity cards. Critics say they cost too much and threaten civil liberties.
The second big vote comes on Wednesday over anti-terrorism laws, already watered down after parliament rejected a clause to allow police to hold suspects for up to 90 days without charge.
“It’s a critical week, it’s a big voting week,” said one of Blair’s top advisers at a party conference in Blackpool.
At the conference on Friday, Blair pleaded with rebel Labour lawmakers and the opposition to drop their resistance to both bills, saying they were vital for security in Britain.—Reuters
