Reid: A difficult period for PM

Lord Melvyn Bragg said on Tuesday his friend Mr Blair had faced "colossal strain" because of what he guessed were "personal and family" issues.

Asked on Wednesday about this Dr Reid said: "He has up periods and down periods but that does not mean he goes around planning resignations."

The BBC reported in July that Mr Blair had thought of leaving Number 10.

On Wednesday, BBC political editor Andrew Marr told Radio 4's Today programme: "I think the crucial reasons were really to do with Iraq, his plunging popularity ratings and a fear that he was becoming a liability."

But Mr Blair was now determined to stand "for some time", he added.

Peer and broadcaster Lord Bragg is a friend of the prime minister. Lord Bragg's wife, Cate Haste, has just co-written a book with Cherie Blair.

'Guess'

Asked if Mr Blair had ever really considered resigning, Lord Bragg told the ITV News Channel: "I think that he was under tremendous stress. He was being hammered in the press.

"Perhaps he had doubts about some policies, perhaps not. But in my view, the real stress was personal and family, which matters most to him.

"And my guess is that the considerations of his family became very pressing and that was what made him think things over very carefully. That is my guess."

I must admit it took us by surprise as much as anybody else Lord Bragg

Lord Bragg said Mr Blair was a "very, very strong" character determined to improve the country.

He said: "And he thinks he is on track to do that. But yes I think he was under colossal strain, you could see it.

"And my guess was that it was domestic rather than anything else. Domestic not in any sense about him and Cherie. I have never seen a couple get on as good as those two, it is not that."

No 10 response

Lord Bragg said he was a friend of Mr Blair and a Labour supporter but not an expert on the prime minister's private life.

His comments follow reports that Cabinet ministers were moved to urge Mr Blair to stay in his job earlier this year.

It will be obvious to anyone this was a difficult period for the prime minister John Reid Health Secretary

The prime minister's official spokesman said No 10 had no idea that Lord Bragg had been about to talk about the Blairs' personal lives.

"I must admit it took us by surprise as much as anybody else," said the spokesman. "I don't know why he said it.

"What Lord Bragg said is a matter for Lord Bragg and not for us."

At a news conference in July, Mr Blair was asked whether he had ever considered moving on in his 10 years as Labour leader. He replied: "No".

The spokesman said he had nothing to add to that response.

He declined to discuss how close Lord Bragg was to Mr Blair, saying: "I'm not going to comment on the friendships or otherwise of the prime minister."

'Up and down periods'

On Wednesday, Health Secretary Dr Reid told Today: "At no time did the prime minister indicate to me, or as far as I am aware to anyone close to him or supporting him through this period, that he intended to resign or that he was considering any plans to resign or to pre-announce resignation."

Dr Reid said prime ministers obviously faced all sorts of pressures, political, social and family, which prompted support from their colleagues.

But he continued: "It will be obvious to anyone this was a difficult period for the prime minister.

"What was happening in prisons in Iraq, the situation there, the domestic situation as well - of course, these are difficult and people go through these pressures."

Dr Reid added: "The prime minister is human like anyone else."