Blair lauds Brown as possible successor, but refuses to be drawn on when he'll go

Tony Blair came close yesterday to endorsing Gordon Brown as his successor as he lavished praise on the Chancellor, but gave no clue over how long he envisaged staying in Downing Street.

Tony Blair came close yesterday to endorsing Gordon Brown as his successor as he lavished praise on the Chancellor, but gave no clue over how long he envisaged staying in Downing Street.

The Prime Minister, who has been beset by speculation over his future, said that he was still "absolutely up for" his job and insisted that the choice of who will take over would have to wait. Asked on BBC1's Breakfast with Frost to endorse Mr Brown as his replacement, he said: "These are decisions for the future. But I have always made it clear the high regard I have for him.

"It has been a great partnership; he has been a brilliant Chancellor. He delivered huge economic strength to this country. He is a tremendous asset to the party and to the country."

Twice in two weeks, John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, has fuelled rumours that Mr Blair could be about to step down - first by saying cabinet ministers were jockeying for position in anticipation of a leadership contest and then by comparing Mr Blair to Harold Wilson, who resigned unexpectedly. There has also been speculation that a grim set of local and European election results next month could jeopardise Mr Blair's position.

But the Prime Minister said yesterday of his job: "I am absolutely up for it. In the end it is the British people who are the boss; they are the people who make the decision. And the reason I am up for it is there is a lot more still to do."

Put to him that he could quit if he became an electoral liability to Labour, Mr Blair said: "You have always got to have the support of your party and I believe I have that and you have got to have the support of the people and that's decided in an election."

Mr Blair said he believed that he had the crucial support of his party to continue as Prime Minister. He conceded that the war in Iraq had lost Labour votes, saying it "is the shadow over our support''. But Mr Blair added that beneath that people were now beginning to see real improvement to public services.

On Saturday, Mr Brown played down his ambitions to become prime minister, saying it was "what you do" not "the office you hold" that mattered. Mr Brown said he was "very happy" serving under Mr Blair and was focused on his job as Chancellor. He dismissed a poll indicating voters believed that he would make a better prime minister than Mr Blair.