WITH speculation mounting over Tony Blair senior Labour Party figures in East Lancashire have thrown their weight behind the Prime Minister.

Despite pressure on Mr Blair to stand down and the revelation that some cabinet member are "repositioning" themselves, MPs, councillors and local chairmen have spoken out to defend their party's longest-serving PM.

East Lancashire's Labour MPs rallied behind Tony Blair and dismissed calls for him to stand aside to allow Chancellor Gordon Brown to become Labour leader.

As Blackburn's Jack Straw led the Cabinet defence of the Prime Minister other East Lancashire Labour MPs threw their weight behind him.

But Ribble Valley Tory Nigel Evans said Mr Blair should quit 10 Downing Street now - but not for Mr Brown.

And Pendle Labour MP Gordon Prentice pointedly declined to comment.

Foreign Secretary Mr Straw admitted that there were "difficulties" facing the government.

But he said: "People misunderstand our Prime Minister Tony Blair if they somehow think he is going to run away from his responsibilities because there is a lot of speculation in the newspapers."

And reacting to comments by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott that Cabinet members were positioning themselves to take over when Mr Blair quits, Mr Straw said he was "certainly not" repositioning himself, adding: "I'm not going to either."

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson reacted to the suggestion that Mr Blair should go by saying: "No. Certainly not.

"Tony Blair should stay because he is the best card we have got. I have been out canvassing for the local elections over the weekend and nobody has expressed any other view except that he should stay.

"I want Tony Blair to remain in office because his party and his country need him - and they need him in Number 10."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "Tony Blair should stay because he is the most successful Labour leader in the party's history. If people really think that Labour will do better with any leader other than Tony Blair then they are completely wrong. Tony Blair should stay on as leader and all this speculation should stop."

Burnley MP Peter Pike described calls for Mr Blair to go and be replaced by Mr Brown as "rubbish".

He said: "Tony Blair will go at a time of his choosing and when he feels right. There's no vacancy for the Labour leadership or the Prime Ministership.

"The leadership of the Labour party is a matter for the Labour party and not the press and all this press speculation should stop."

Mr Prentice, a leading left-wing critic of Mr Blair, would say only: "I am not getting into that."

Coun David Myles, chairman of the Hyndburn Labour group, said: "There is still a chance for Tony Blair but we have got ourselves into a difficult position over Iraq.

"I don't know how that will affect his leadership, but something needs to be addressed."

Maureen Martin, senior vice-chair of Burnley Labour Party, said: "Tony Blair is going through a difficult time, which he will survive.

"If he was forced out then Gordon Brown would be the man to take over. He's been one of our best Chancellors and has proved he is capable of doing the job."