Blair: Announcing retirement plans a mistake [View All]

Tony Blair has admitted that it may have been a mistake to announce that he would stand down before the next general election.

In 2004, the prime minister said he would serve "a full third term" but would then retire, in a bid to end speculation about an alleged agreement to hand over power to the chancellor Gordon Brown.

Speaking to Australia's ABC Radio last night, Mr Blair admitted that rather than put an end to speculation surrounding his premiership, his announcement two year's ago only added to it.

Asked if it was a "strategic mistake" to announce he planned to quit, the PM replied: "I think what happened when you get into your third term and you are coming up to your tenth year is that it really doesn't matter what you say, you are going to get people saying it should be time for a change

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