Looking beyond Blair
Updated on 10 May 2007
Cathy Newman looks beyond Mr Blair's departure to his successor - and what's likely to happen next.
Tony Blair's heir apparent is walking tall today - confident in the knowledge Gordon Brown will stride next door to number ten in seven weeks time.
The world's media turned up for the prime minister - but soon the spotlight will turn on him. Until it does, Gordon Brown was content to let his friend and rival bask in the glory.
It looked like chaos, but it's now certain to be an orderly transition. The cabinet's united behind Gordon Brown, after the Blairites failed to find a candidate to oppose him.
And the leftwinger John McDonnell postponed a press conference announcing who would represent the left of the party, prompting speculation he'd failed to secure enough support to stand.
So what was supposed to be a seven week leadership contest could end up as the longest-ever coronation.
Election timetable
- May 13 - NEC agree timetable
- May 14 - Nominations open
- June 11 - Ballot papers posted
- June 18 - Voting begins
- June 24 - Leader announced
- June 27 - Handover takes place
On Sunday Labour's ruling body meets to agree the formal timetable for the election of the new leader. On Monday - nominations open for the leadership and deputy leadership On June 11, ballot papers are sent out with voting beginning a week later. On June 24 the new leader is announced at a special conference. And On June 27, Tony Blair goes to Buckingham Palace to hand in the seals of office. His successor is then invited by the Queen to form a government.
At his campaign launch tomorrow, and in the weeks that follow, Gordon Brown will set out his broad priorities for government. He'll try to restore public trust by giving parliament and the civil service more power.
He'll build on Tony Blair's legacy in education, and attempt to regain the initiative on the NHS. Critically he'll also have to neutralise heal the wounds over Iraq. His allies want him to make a decisive fresh start.
Get the full picture on Blair's departure
Blair's resignation speech
Quiz: the many faces of Tony Blair
Ten years in ten words
Tony Blair: the FactCheck verdict
Blair's blushes: the PM's embarrassing moments
Blair's revolting backbenchers
But how does Gordon Brown draw a line under the Blair era without cutting the guy ropes on the big tent politics that have sustained the New Labour coalition?
Senior Blairites stress the importance of building on Tony Blair's legacy instead of drawing a line under it. Gordon Brown's been prime minister in waiting for so long, many have already rung out the old leader and rung in the new.
