Blair to resign on June 27

May 10, 2007

Blair earlier briefed cabinet colleagues on his retirement plans before leaving Downing street to fly to his Sedgefield constituency in north-east England, where he made an emotional resignation speech to Labour Party activists. In a televised speech, Blair said that 10-years in the job had been long enough and that "sometime the only way to conquer the pull of power was to set it down." The British leader's announcement triggers a contest for the leadership of the governing Labour Party, which finance minister Gordon Brown is favourite to win.