Britain's Blair suffers another party revolt

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair's authority took a hit today when he endured another party revolt over flagship school reform plans.

The schools bill was passed by a huge majority of 324 in arliament at its crucial third reading thanks to support from the main opposition Conservative Party.

But 46 Labour lawmakers voted against the legislation, Labour's biggest revolt at this stage of a bill since the party first came to government in 1924.

Blair's standing within Labour has taken a battering in past weeks following dire local election results and relentless headlines of sleaze, scandal and government incompetence -- and analysts said his authority was on the line.

''He's now in a situation where I don't think he would be able to get through any controversial piece of legislation without requiring support from the opposition,'' said Philip Cowley, political analyst at Nottingham University.

''That is a terrible position for a prime minister of any party to find themselves in,'' he told Sky television.

The vote came after an opinion poll by the Guardian newspaper and ICM put support for the opposition Conservatives -- resurgent under new leader David Cameron -- at 38 percent, four points ahead of Labour.

Blair's authority has been on the wane since he said he would not seek a fourth term, while anger over the Iraq war and disillusionment after nine years in office has eroded his popularity with the public.

Blair, who swept to power in 1997 after 18 years of Labour opposition, has brushed off criticism of his public service reforms and calls to stand down. His office argues that the vast majority of Labour lawmakers back the reforms.

But Blair has been forced to promise publicly to give his presumed successor, finance minister Gordon Brown, ample time to settle in before the next general election, expected in 2009.

Poor opinion polls and more trouble in parliament will inevitably raise the pressure on Blair to stand aside, with many in Labour now expecting him to resign in mid-2007.

In a vote on amendments to the schools bill yesterday, 69 Labour lawmakers rebelled, the biggest revolt since Blair won a third term last year.

In a previous vote on the same bill in March, 52 Labour lawmakers rebelled. Labour has a working majority of about 71 seats in parliament's lower house.

Opponents of the education bill argue that granting schools more freedom by giving them ''trust'' status will lead to a two-tier system that will exclude disadvantaged children from the best schools.

Relying on opposition support to pass key legislation is a precarious position for the prime minister given the mounting calls from parts of Labour for him to stand down.

''I think there is no doubt that Tony Blair has been a great vote winner in the past for us but the reverse is now true,'' Labour parliamentarian Ian Davidson told Reuters.

''Part of our current unpopularity is a widespread feeling that Tony Blair's shelf life is over.'' REUTERS DH RN0235