LONDON, Nov 2: Britain’s Tony Blair suffered a heavy blow on Wednesday when a scandal-tainted ally quit his government, compounding reverses the prime minister has faced since starting his last term in power this year.

Cabinet minister David Blunkett resigned for the second time in less than a year just months after Blair had brought his close colleague back into government, prompting a blistering opposition attack over his judgment.

Problems are mounting for the prime minister, who has declared he will not fight another election after winning a third term in May — a move analysts say risks his authority waning as the clock winds down on his premiership.

“We have seen the slow seepage of his authority turn into a haemorrhage,” Michael Howard, leader of the opposition Conservatives, told a packed parliament after Blunkett quit.

“For how long will this country have to put up with this lame duck prime minister, in office but not in power?”

Last week, ministers split openly over issues ranging from a ban on smoking in public to an overhaul of the state education system, previously unthinkable for a government which had imposed iron discipline since taking power in 1997.

Blair is also facing an increasingly restive parliamentary party, ready to defy him on a number of issues.

May’s election cut Blair’s parliamentary majority to 66, about 100 less than he had enjoyed since 1997, meaning just 34 Labour Members of Parliament (MPs) voting with opposition parties can defeat the government.

Blunkett said he had quit to protect Blair from damage.

“Tony asked me to stay,” he told a news conference. “It could only have damaged the prime minister if I had stayed on.”

The loss of a loyal ally is a serious blow to Blair as a section of his party wants him to hand power to finance minister Gordon Brown sooner rather than later.—Reuters