Blair sparks Labour unrest by refusing to reveal departure date

THE pressure on British Prime Minister Tony Blair to name his date for quitting Downing Street was growing last night, as backbenchers lined up to attack his silence.

The prime minister came under fire after declaring he would not bow to pressures to reveal when he would stand down at this month’s party conference in Manchester.

He used an interview in The Times to urge colleagues to stop “obsessing” about the leadership and concentrate on governing the country instead.