Britain's Blair says he'll attend June EU summit

LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today he plans to attend a European Union summit in June, putting paid to speculation he may make way before then for his expected successor, Finance Minister Gordon Brown.

Some in the ruling Labour Party want Blair to leave before elections on May 3 for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and English local councils, fearing he has become an electoral liability after almost a decade in power.

Asked at his monthly news conference whether it was his intention to be at the EU summit on June 21 and 22 to endorse any potential West Asia peace agreement, he said: ''Of course''.

Blair, whose decision to back the US-led Iraq war has damaged his popularity, has said he plans to resign this year but refused to give a date.

He said today he would play a full part in Labour's Scottish election campaign, where it faces a strong challenge from the Scottish Nationalist Party.

''I think you'll find all members of the UK cabinet play a strong and constructive role in the Scottish election campaign, including myself, and I'm looking forward to doing that,'' he said.

Brown has staged a media offensive in past weeks and a more relaxed demeanour shows his confidence that he will finally fulfil his long-held ambition to be prime minister, analysts say.

BLAIR SEEKS LEGACY Under Labour rules, Blair could step down as party leader and trigger a succession contest while remaining prime minister.

That would trigger a simultaneous contest for the post of deputy leader that is expected to last about six weeks.

Blair's successor would have to wait until the deputy race was over even if the leadership is not contested, analysts say.

Blair could therefore remain prime minister for the summit of the Group of Eight rich countries in Germany on June 6-8, where he hopes for a climate change deal, and the EU meeting.

Blair has set progress in the West Asia and a deal to stem global warming as priorities for his final days, anxious to secure a positive legacy and eclipse the damage done to his reputation by Iraq.

He is also determined to ensure devolved government is restored to the British-ruled province of Northern Ireland before he leaves office.

''Tony Blair is focusing on the particular issues where he thinks he can make a difference, like Northern Ireland and West Asia,'' Wyn Grant, politics professor at Warwick University said recently.

''What he's interested in are the so-called legacy issues. What is history going to think of his premiership?'' The opposition Conservative Party is leading Labour in opinion polls but Blair said Labour was suffering from the mid-term blues as all governments do.

''I actually believe that provided we hold our nerve on the reform and change programme ... we don't in any sense retreat from New Labour, we will come through this and we will come through it with a renewed sense of leadership and energy and drive,'' he said.

Reuters AB DB2254