Blair: Recovering at Chequers

Following Friday's heart procedure, Tony Blair is recovering at Chequers this weekend amid renewed speculation about his relationship with the chancellor.

While politicians have queued up to wish the prime minister a speedy recovery, attempts to end reports of a rift at the top of the government have so far failed to achieve their objectives.

On Thursday, ahead of his operation, Blair said he would serve a "full" third term if re-elected.

But on Saturday the Guardian quoted one "aide" of Gordon Brown as saying the timing of the announcement - when the chancellor was in Washington for meetings of the IMF and World Bank - as being "like an African coup".

"They waited until he was out of the country," said the aide.

But that prompted a warning from former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham that members of the party should "just shut up" about the prime minister's position.

"Frankly, it would help if others who have an idea about their own interests in the succession would just shut up and help him to get on with governing the country," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

"There is not a shred of evidence to suggest that any deal was done last year.

"It is simply gossip, Westminster speculation, and some of it deliberately fuelled, of course, by those who want a continuing dispute in the party about these matters and who seek to make trouble for the prime minister.

"It is in Gordon's interests for the party to be united, to be successful at the next general election and to go into a third term with a bold programme of new ideas and policies for the country.

"So to that extent, some of his friends aren't doing him any favours.

"The overwhelming majority of people in the party... want the party to be united not least because they know very well - just look at the Tory Party - people will not vote for divided parties."

Since leaving hospital on Friday night, the prime minister has remained silent on the leadership issue.

Arriving back in Number 10, his only comments were to "thank all the staff at the Hammersmith Hospital who have looked after me so well".