Blair vows to leave office within a year.

[sandrakae]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/07/britain.blair/index.html

WTF is with the years notice resignation. The bastard needs to give a 2 week and leave office.

[MoonRiver]

1. Don't let the door hit 'ya, bushbot.

:puke:

[Webster Green]

2. Not soon enough!

The asshole should resign now, and take his seat at the Carlisle Group

[whistle]

3. What is wrong with leaving tomorrow? Give him 12 hours to clear out

...his office and "Hasta la vista, baby!"

[Prophet 451]

5. Formalities

There has to be a leadership contest, deals cut, a final audience with the monarch and an official resignation speech to Parliament (much as Blair seems to forget, his resignation wouldn't be legal until he formerly announced it to the Commons). Two months is a realistic minimum for a smooth changing of teh guard.

[Prophet 451]

4. Dragging it out

He's given a year's notice because he doesn't want to leave office at all. He made the pledge to step down under fairly extreme internal pressure and as time has gone on, he's repeatedly put off naming a date or making any moves in that direction and, to the contrary, has conducted his policies as if he expects to be there forever. The pressure has gradually mounted and come to a head over the last week and, in order to avoid a split in the party, he's had to make at least a small concession which is what this announcement was.

It'll probably buy him a little time but not much. There are already MP's and party activists saying that this isn't good enough, that a year is too long and that Blair still being in power during next year's local elections will really hurt the Labour party (and they're probably right) so he should go as soon as possible.

That said (and I imagine you weren't serious), two weeks wouldn't be enough. There are certain formalities that have to be gone through first. Not least, the Labour party has to choose his successor. Realistically, the deal-cutting, compromise and contests involved there mean that two months is pretty much a minimum.

[LaPera]

6. He won't!