(Photograph: John Giles/WPA/PA.)

Bush's bitch under pressure....

Seven members of Tony Blair's government resigned today in protest at the prime minister's reluctance to publicly name a departure date.
One junior minister, Tom Watson, quit as well as six parliamentary private secretaries, after 48 hours of leaks and rampant speculation about an exit timetable.

The open rebellion, after Downing Street dubbed reports of Mr Blair quitting next May "speculation" but did not deny them, led the Conservative leader, David Cameron, to describe the Labour party as in "meltdown."

In his resignation letter, Junior Minister Watson said, "It is with the greatest sadness that I have to say that I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country."

I would add, "or the world," to that list. Along with George Bush's name to the letter's salutation.

I've never understood why so many Britons remain loyal to Blair, despite his dragging them into the Iraq fiasco.

Complete story here.