Elect Blair's successor unopposed: cabinet minister

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2005

LONDON (AFP) — British finance minister Gordon Brown should be elected unopposed when Prime Minister Tony Blair eventually steps down, a senior cabinet minister was reported as saying.

Geoff Hoon, the former defence secretary and now leader of the lower chamber of parliament, the House of Commons, was quoted by the Independent newspaper as saying that it would be "better for everyone" if there were no other candidates.

Blair announced his intention not to contest a fourth general election following the last nationwide poll in May but did not specify when he would step down and hand over the reigns of power to Brown.

But speculation mounted last week that Blair could go sooner rather than later after he lost a vote on controversial proposals to detain...