Burning issues guarantee the stress level is unlikely to fall

Published on Friday 1 October 2004 01:38

TONY Blair’s in-tray will be overflowing by the time he returns to work, with each and every item sure to increase his stress levels still further.

First for his attention will be the plans for the General Election.

He has appointed his close ally, Alan Milburn, as election supremo but he will want to oversee the process to make sure the manifesto is right and to make sure that Labour wins the historic third term he craves.

He will also want to make sure relations are kept amicable between the Brownite and Blairite factions, both of which will be trying to impose their will on the election process.

Behind everything, however, will be the deteriorating situation in Iraq.

Further hostages could well be taken and British forces are unlikely to escape further casualties.

Linked to the problems in Iraq will be the Prime Minister’s attempts to bridge the widening gap between Europe and the United States.

On the immediate domestic front, the protests against the ban on fox hunting can only intensify as the hunting season gets into full swing, while the continuing battle over the reform of public services is bound to command much of his attention through the next few months.

Mr Blair was supposed to be heading to Africa next week on an official visit. Although that is sure to be cancelled, the Prime Minister has a tight diary of gruelling foreign trips with summits planned for the months leading up until Christmas to ensure there is no let-up in his schedule.