Pressure grows on Tony Blair to quit

London: British Prime Minister Tony Blair's overhaul of his ministerial team after a local election rout has been blasted by Britain's media and even some of his own MPs, with special ire directed at his deputy John Prescott.

Reshuffling the cabinet had been seen by analysts as Blair's bid to reassert his authority and signal he has no plans to step down just yet, but there were reports backbenchers were ready to sign a letter demanding Blair set a timetable for his departure.

The reshuffle saw one-time key players such as Jack Straw, John Prescott and Charles Clarke exit from high profile ministries.

But Prescott, the deputy prime minister, who has been the object of media ridicule over an affair with a secretary will keep his job title and salary even after losing his departmental responsibilities.

"I think it is outrageous that the deputy prime minister loses his department but keeps his position, his salary and the perks of the job," Labour MP Geraldine Smith told BBC radio.

"I think most people were astonished by this reshuffle."

Another Labour MP, former sports minister Kate Hoey, was also unclear as to what Prescott's role would be.

"What on earth is he going to get paid for?" she was quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror newspaper.

Few newspapers on Saturday had much praise for Blair.

The popular Sun tabloid had the headline "Cabinet reshuffle kerfuffle" and asked "what is the point of John Prescott?" while the Daily Telegraph ran with "Nightmare on Downing Street".

There was also media reports that up to 50 Labour backbenches are ready to sign a letter to Blair asking him to set a timetable for his promise to step down before the next election.

"Plotters move to oust Blair" was the headline in the Guardian which said the prime minister had come under pressure from Chancellor Gordon Brown's allies to name the day.

The prime minister has said he will not stand in the next national elections, due by 2010, and Brown is widely tipped to replace him. Brown and Blair are set to meet this weekend to talk about the future direction of the party.

Blair's ruling Labour Party lost 319 of the seats it was defending in Thursday's elections for English local authorities while the Conservatives won 316 with almost all the results counted.

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