Scots MPs want Blair's early exit

Mr Blair plans to serve a full third term in Downing Street

Half of Labour's backbench Scottish MPs think Tony Blair should step down within the next two years, according to a survey by BBC Scotland.

The Politics Show spoke to 24 of the party's 32 backbenchers - and 16 said the prime minister should quit "sooner rather than later".

Four said Mr Blair should step aside within a year, with a further 12 saying he should do so inside two years.

Twenty MPs said Gordon Brown should be his successor as prime minister.

Another two said they would wait and see who the other candidates were - but that it would have to be someone exceptional to take their vote away from the chancellor.

Twenty Scottish MPs said they thought Iraq had been a significant factor in the party's reduced majority at Westminster.

What we want to see is regime change, and that means we can't have the narrow focus of an unrelenting New Labour regime Ian Davidson MP

Mr Blair has already been urged to quit as prime minister, only days after Labour won a third term.

Ian Davidson, the MP for Glasgow South West, told the Politics Show that the prime minister's plans were "a car crash waiting to happen".

"What we want to see is regime change, and that means we can't have the narrow focus of an unrelenting New Labour regime," he said.

"We need to have succession arrangements in place. There is a real danger that Mr Blair becomes a lame duck prime minister."

Former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, the MP for Livingston, said Mr Blair should be respected for delivering two landslides in the previous elections.

Step aside

But he said: "The question Tony Blair should be reflecting on this weekend is having achieved this, having secured his place in the history of the Labour Party and the history of Britain, whether now might be a better time to let a new leader in who could then achieve the unity we need if we are going to go forward."

Michael Connarty, the MP for Linlithgow and Falkirk East, said there needed to be a smooth transition.

He said the prime minister should remain in the post until a referendum is held on the European constitution - and then step aside.

Anne McGuire said Tony Blair should quit at a time of his choosing

The prime minister said last year that he would serve a full third term, but would not seek to lead Labour into a fourth.

Deputy Scottish Secretary Anne McGuire said: "The best time for Tony Blair to step down is when the prime minister decides it is the best time to stand down."

She said the party's 40 Scottish MPs should be focussing on what the electorate wanted them to deliver.

Glasgow South MP Tom Harris said talk of regime change was "utter nonsense".

"It is completely out of touch with the vast majority of the people," he said.