TONY Blair has claimed it would "paralyse" government if he named the day of his departure from No 10.

However, seeking to quell the current Labour revolt, he insisted Gordon Brown was still his chosen successor and promised to allow him time to "settle down" before the next election after a "stable and orderly" transition of power.

The Prime Minister angered some of his backbenchers - calling for a succession plan to be laid down now - by branding them troublemakers wanting to reverse New Labour reforms.

He sought to placate others by saying he understood concerns that he would honour his promise to make the handover to the Chancellor as painless as possible for the party.

Defiant

A defiant Mr Blair, asked at his monthly news conference if Mr Brown was his chosen successor, said: "Of course he is. That is why I suggest everyone calms down and lets us get on with the business of governing."

Mr Blair said he had no doubt that Mr Brown would not ditch his New Labour reform programme or back away from his close alliance with the USA if he became Prime Minister.

He said: "I believe those people who maybe feel or hope Gordon would take the Labour Party in a different direction from New Labour are completely mistaken."

The Prime Minister also made clear he had no intention of relaxing the pace of his reform programme, setting out what he termed "a busy government agenda" covering issues including energy, law and order, health and education over the coming year.

Promise

He also pointed out he had been elected on a promise to serve a full third term and had promised after the election to ensure a "stable and orderly transition" to his successor.

He said he had announced that his third election as leader would be his last "precisely to show that I had no intention - in the words of one of my predecessors - of going on and on and on."

Naming a date for his resignation now "wouldn't end this distraction, but take it to a new level", he said.

"It is clear that, though there are those who want me to honour the commitment to a stable and orderly transition - and I will honour it, with the time plainly needed for my successor to establish himself - there are also those whose desire is to change the direction of policy and not to renew New Labour, but reverse it."

'Defeat'

"That way lies not a fourth term victory but a defeat and a return to opposition and I will fight that all the way."

However, despite the Prime Minister's statement, some Labour backbenchers continued to call for a timetable for him to hand over power.

Labour MP Alan Whitehead said: "In order for people across the party to sign up to that idea of certainty, that certainty needs to be clear and on the table over the next few weeks and months."

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