BB FANS

Prime Minister Tony Blair has admitted it may have been a mistake to announce he planned to step down before the next General Election.

Mr Blair, in Melbourne to attend the Commonwealth Games as part of the Australian leg of his seven-day Asia-Pacific tour, was asked during a radio interview whether it had been "a strategic mistake" to announce his departure.

He said: "People kept asking me the question so I decided to answer it. Maybe that was a mistake."

Downing Street aides later said that Mr Blair meant it was a mistake to think he could stop speculation by answering the questions, and not that it was a mistake to announce his intention to leave.

Mr Blair has insisted he will serve a full third term in office before resigning but has been bedevilled by speculation as to exactly when he will quit.

He said: "I think what happened when you get into your third term and you are coming up to your tenth year is that it really doesn't matter what you say, you are going to get people saying it should be time for a change.

"This speculation, I think, probably would happen whatever decision you take."

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said he did not think Mr Blair's comments would hasten his departure from Number 10.

I can see Brown was sharpening his voodoo pins over the weekend

Wondered why Mr B was walking in a funny manner