TONY Blair’s announcement that he wishes to serve a full third term as Prime Minister will make it much harder for the party to win the next election, says a Kent backbench Labour MP.

Medway MP Bob Marshall Andrews said he was not surprised by the news but warned voters may be put off voting for the party knowing they would be stuck with Mr Blair.

“It will not do us any good because a lot of people who were totally against the war in Iraq would have voted for us in the expectation that he [Blair] would not have been Prime Minister for very long. That will make our job of getting re-elected infinitely more difficult,” he said.

Voters would also be concerned that Labour would, under Mr Blair’s leadership, continue to be closely allied with America, he added.

“If Blair is re-elected a lot of people will be worried at the prospect of a long relationship that hooks us up with neo-Conservatives,” he said.

The result was that Labour was likely to lose votes to those parties that were more sceptical about the war.

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt (Lab) said in reality, Mr Blair would be replaced soon after the mid-point of his third term.

He rejected the idea that Mr Blair’s announcement would trigger a long battle of succession for his job.

“The media has been going on about that since 1999. I think most people knew he would go for a third term but whoever replaces him will need time to set out their policies and to have the opportunity to reflect.”

The MP said he favoured a system in which Prime Ministers were limited to serving three terms. “I think that is enough,” he said.