Blair issued with new warning

Tony Blair was today put on public notice to "focus" his government, speed up improvements to key services such as health and transport, and take criticism on the chin.

The message from a loyal and respected former Cabinet minister, Chris Smith, is the most influential warning yet to the Prime Minister that his leadership is in trouble.

At the weekend, Mr Smith helped lead the chorus of warning against a British military assault on Iraq on the "coat tails" of the US. But today, writing for the Evening Standard, he voices measured but clear concern across the entire government agenda.

The MP, Culture Secretary from Labour's election in 1997 until last year, warns against even a token challenge to Mr Blair's leadership, saying "stalking horses should stay in their stables".

He acknowledges that extra cash is going into health, transport and other services, as well as a " struggle" to improve those services. But he goes on: "Sometimes it seems as if this is happening in an unfocused way."

Mr Smith says he is "alarmed" at some of the events which have jolted the Government such as the way "the Post Office succeeds miraculously in turning a £600 million profit into an equivalent loss, threatening thousands of jobs". He says that sorting out the "mess" of Railtrack and the rail network is turning out to be "stubbornly intractable". Improving the health service is taking an "achingly long time" to produce results. And the fear of crime is "palpable".

Today's warning comes at the same time as Mr Blair loses his closest and most senior trade union ally, with the departure of John Monks as boss of the TUC.

Mr Monks this month attacked the Prime Minister for being "bloody stupid" by lining up alongside Right-wing European leaders like Italy's Silvio Berlusconi to undermine the unions. But he has, nonetheless, been a bulwark against some of the union hardliners. Today Mr Monks, who is departing to stand for election as general secretary of the European TUC, praised the work the Government has done since Labour came to power. But he acknowledged there were "areas of tension and difference" - above all over the role of private companies in the public sector.

Ministers last night moved some way to allay those concerns by accepting measures to avoid a " twotier" system which threatens to damage the rights of workers transferred from the public to the private sector. And Mr Blair delivered a strong appeal to Labour's ruling National Executive to "trust me".

MPs have now dispersed for the Commons' two-week Easter break. But the relationship with the unions faces continuing strain, not least as Education Secretary Estelle Morris faces teachers' union conferences today and on Saturday.

Chris Smith MP: Talk is cheap