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Blair could axe deputy
01/05/2006 12:10 - (SA)
London - The double-barrelled political and sex-scandal crisis engulfing the British government escalated Monday, just three days before local elections, with pressure mounting on the deputy prime minister and interior minister to quit.
John Prescott, Prime Minister Tony Blair's deputy, was back in the spotlight after a second woman said in the Daily Mail newspaper he seduced her and a third accused the married father-of-two of sexual harassment.
Blair is expected to announce a reshuffle of his embattled cabinet after Thursday's England-wide poll in a bid to regain public confidence exactly nine years to the day after his Labour Party took office.
His own job, however, also looks increasingly vulnerable as the recent wave of scandals battered support for his government and increased calls for Blair to say when he plans to step down.
The new Prescott revelations followed his admission last week that he had a two-year affair with his diary secretary - a revelation that has undermined his position as deputy prime minister and led to demands for him to resign.
Prescott is not alone.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke's neck is also on the line after his ministry failed to consider more than 1 000 foreign criminals for deportation after they were released from jail. Some have gone on to reoffend.
This scandal is seen by commentators as much more serious than Prescott's sexual transgressions, and Clarke is considered more likely to face the chop than the deputy prime minister.
Clarke, however, insisted he would stay the course despite further damning revelations about his involvement in the prisoner furore.
"My own political future depends on my own strength of character dealing with the points that are raised, first, secondly on the support of my own political colleagues, and thirdly and most importantly, on the decisions of the prime minister," the minister told his local newspaper.
"If I lost that support, that would be different. I hope I will continue as home secretary," Clarke was quoted as telling the Eastern Daily Press.
Didn't tell Blair
His comments came as officials confirmed Clarke knew for more than three weeks before telling Blair that prisoners convicted of serious crimes were among the 1 023 foreign offenders mistakenly allowed back into the community.
He only passed this information to the prime minister's office on April 21, the Home Office said, confirming a report in The Times.
Menzies Campbell, leader of the second opposition Liberal Democrats, said this latest piece of information about Clarke "has sealed his fate."
"He ought to resign and the prime minister should have accepted it when he first offered," Cambell told BBC radio.
Clarke offered twice to quit when details of the blunder emerged last week.
He has since faced a strong backlash particularly after saying Friday that five of the most serious offenders had gone on to commit drugs and violence offences after their release from prison. Another two had been accused of rape.
David Davis, home affairs spokesperson for the main opposition Conservatives summed up the situation by saying: "On the one hand, you have got John Prescott who is a Whitehall (government) farce. Charles Clarke is a national tragedy.
"If I were in his position, I would tender my resignation to the prime minister and I would not take no for an answer."
The developments came as England prepared to vote in local council elections on Thursday, with opinion polls predicting a poor showing for the Labour Party.
Such an outcome will likely increase pressure on Blair to indicate when he plans to make way for his presumed successor, finance minister Gordon Brown.
The Guardian newspaper reported Monday that senior cabinet ministers want Blair to set a public date for this to happen.
- SAPA
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