LONDON: British Prime Minister Tony Blair's political future looked grim on Wednesday when, in a dramatic turn, seven junior members of his Government quit after signing a letter from a group of rebel Labour MPs urging him to resign.

Their surprise resignations came as the revolt against his leadership gained momentum ahead of the party's annual conference later this month.

Among those who resigned was one Minister, Tom Watson, and six parliamentary aides, many hitherto regarded as Blair loyalists.

The development sent shock waves through the Blair camp, which only hours earlier had given a public assurance to rebel MPs that Mr. Blair would quit next year. The assurance was reinforced by a front-page report in The Sun, a newspaper that is close to Downing Street, saying that Mr. Blair would announce his departure on May 31, 2007.

``Resign immediately''

The resigning members insisted that such assurances were not enough and Mr. Blair must quit immediately. Mr. Watson, who held the Defence portfolio, said it was no longer in the country's best interests for Mr. Blair to remain in office. "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," Mr. Watson said in his letter to Mr. Blair.

Among the most high-profile parliamentary aide to quit was Khalid Mahmood, whose decision to resign and join the growing revolt against Mr. Blair was seen to reflect the "anger" of his Muslim constituents over the Iraq war and the Prime Minister's perceived support to Israel over its military attack on Lebanon.

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