PM Tony Blair will step down soon: Ministers

London, Apr 29: British Prime Minister Tony Blair will have to announce the date of his departure from Downing Street soon after Thursday's local elections, according to the cabinet ministers loyal to him.

The Labour party is expected to suffer a heavy loss in the elections, as ministers and MPs reeled from their ''Black Wednesday'' of sleaze and policy disasters. Close supporters of the Prime Minister said he must go public about his exit date if has to achieve a peaceful transition to Gordon Brown, according to a report in The Daily Telegraph, which claims that there is concern among his suppoters that the party, undergoing so much crisis currently, is unable to concentrate on long-term policy to defeat Tory leader David Cameron.

A close ally of Mr Blair said he should give the party details soon after next Thursday. He believed Mr Blair would step down in mid-2007.

''I don't think he wants to go to the bitter end,'' said the Cabinet ally and added that he will serve ''a full third term''.

If Mr Blair does not come clean on the date of his departure, his critics on the backbenches insist that they will try to force one out of him.

A backbench ally of Gordon Brown said they were ready to ''agitate actively'' for Mr Blair's removal once the local elections were over. ''There will be a lot of us. This cannot go on.'' Lindsay Hoyle, the Labour MP for Chorley, said, ''There are a lot of rumours about the stalking horse. Different names have been mentioned. It is not something that I think is very likely but it is being discussed.'' Reportedly, the Prime Minister has told his friends that he has decided to go but has refused to reveal the date to anyone, believing that if he does so he will be even more of a lame duck.

Mr Blair is said to be preparing a Cabinet reshuffle after May 4.

UNI