Tony Blair said on Tuesday he had made no decisions about his future once he quits as British prime minister, amid reports he may leave politics altogether so as not to overshadow his successor.
”It’s been a privilege to represent the people of Sedgefield,” he told his monthly news conference, referring to the constituency in north-east England where he has been an MP since 1983.
”I’ve made absolutely no decision about my future at all.”
Blair’s response came after the News of the World newspaper on Sunday claimed he had told members of his local Labour party that he does not want to ”get in the way on the back benches” of Parliament once he leaves office.
The weekly tabloid quoted an unnamed party source as saying Blair’s likely successor as prime minister, Finance Minister Gordon Brown, would not want the former premier as a regular MP in the House of Commons.
Blair himself would not relish the prospect of ”pretending” to be on constituency business, it added, before speculating on who will succeed him in the safe Sedgefield seat, where Labour has an 18 457 majority.
The prime minister also rejected a suggestion that he was looking to move to New York City after leaving office.
Blair (53) is due to resign as prime minister before September this year after 10 years in Downing Street and 13 years as Labour Party leader.
Speculation has been rife among the British media about his next move, including suggestions that he will head a charitable organisation similar to that of former US president Bill Clinton focusing on tackling climate change and Africa.
He is also being touted as a big name on the lucrative US lecture circuit. — AFP
