Labour may face Blair by-election

Tony Blair is to be challenged by his constituency party to say if he intends to call a by-election after he stands down as Prime Minister in the summer.

Mr Blair, 53, has been an MP for 24 years, but is reportedly planning to quit the House within months of stepping down to avoid being seen as a "back-seat driver" to Gordon Brown.

Leaving the Commons would give him more time to go on speaking tours of the US and focus on campaigning for more action against global warming, Labour Party sources said.

His Sedgefield seat, which he has held since the 1983 general election, is the 24th safest in the country, but a by-election could put Mr Brown in a "no-win situation". He would face the threat of a mid-term protest vote against the Government and one-issue candidates against the war in Iraq, the renewal of Trident missiles and immigration.

John Burton, the chairman of Mr Blair's constituency, would not rule out Mr Blair forcing a by-election. "He hasn't spoken to me about it," he said. "He always said he would tell me what he would do first. I always thought he would not cause a by-election but on the other side of the coin, do you see him sitting on the back benches after he steps down as Prime Minister? I will have to ask him."

Mr Blair had a majority of 18,457 at the last election. But the BNP has been campaigning in the area and Reg Keys, father of a redcap killed in Iraq, stood against Mr Blair as a protest, coming fourth.

The Chancellor was given a boost yesterday with a survey of "opinion formers" by Opinion Leader Research showing he is highly rated for integrity (82 per cent) and believing what he says (87 per cent), compared to David Cameron (59 per cent and 58 per cent).