'Teflon Tony' confident ahead of crucial Commons vote

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair appears confident he has turned the tide on the biggest backbench rebellion in his time as government leader.

His decision to go on the offensive over university tuition fees in the last week has won over several leading dissenters, such as Peter Bradley and Alan Whitehead, and aides suggest the mass revolt threatened for next Tuesday may be a damp squib.

Rebellion organisers insist they have enough MPs behind them to overturn Mr Blair's 161-seat majority and inflict his first Commons defeat since Labour came to power in 1997.