Blair quits as MP (From The Northern Echo)

Blair quits as MP

8:21pm Wednesday 27th June 2007 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

TONY Blair was last night confirming to Labour Party officials in Sedgefield that he is standing down as MP with immediate effect.

Mr Blair travelled by train from London to Darlington before being driven to Trimdon for his appointment with the Constituency Labour Party.

There was an uncomfortable situation at Darlington station when the former Prime Minister discovered that there was no official car waiting for him.

He and his wife Cherie waited for several minutes being photographed by the Press and members of the public before an unmarked police car arrived to take him on to Trimdon.

Jacqueline Coatman, from Darlington, took her sons Mark, 11, and Joseph, nine, to the station to wish Mr Blair well.

"He shook my hand and was lovely," she said.

Mr Blair chose to do only one media interview on his final day as Prime Minister - and it was with his local paper The Northern Echo.

Speaking to the paper's editor Peter Barron and Political Editor Chris Lloyd on the train to Darlington, Mr Blair spoke of his plans for the future and of the debt he owes the people of Sedgefield.

Read the full interview in tomorrow's edition of The Northern Echo.