LABOUR MP Gordon Prentice today told Tony Blair: "It's time to move on".

Mr Prentice, the MP for Pendle, said he believed the Prime Minister could not "renew " the party and therefore must set a date to leave Number 10.

In an exclusive interview with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Mr Prentice, a serial rebel against some of the Government's policy proposals, said: "We had a dreadful set of local election results and the party needs renewing.

"I don't think we can renew the Labour Party while the Prime Minister remains.

"I'm very worried about the way that Downing Street is reacting. I heard John Reid on the radio defending the Prime Minister and to be honest I wanted to throw it against the wall.

"I believe the time has come for the Prime Minister to set a timetable for his departure."

Mr Blair is reeling after Labour last week lost control of 18 local councils. Already Mr Blair has re-shuffled his cabinet in the wakes of the losses.