Sunday, November 13 2005 12:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who suffered a severe setback last week following defeat of his terror law in the House of Commons, today (Nov 13, 2005) acknowledged he was facing a 'rough ride' but asserted he would not compromise on his proposals for reforms of schools and hospitals and has no plans to quit soon.

"Sometimes, as with this week, I'll be given a very rough ride. That is why on Thursday the Cabinet agreed we would continue doing what is right, not what is easy," Blair said, writing in the 'News of the World' tabloid.

Defending his decision to put the controversial terror law to vote, Blair said: "It was our duty as a responsible Government to put to a vote the police request for the right to detain terrorist suspects for up to 90 days, with court approval every seven days."

He said, "The terrorist threat is not imagined. It is not scare mongering to warn people. It is real and totally different in scale and nature to anything we have faced before. But in another wider sense, it also fits into the pattern of what we, as a Government, are trying to do.

"Our economy is strong. Our National Health Service and Schools are improving. Anti-social behavior orders and other measures are starting to make a difference in our communities. None of this has been easy. All of it has required tough decisions. And often despite the opposition of the Tories and Lib Dems."

But, Blair said, "More needs to be done if we are to meet our ambitions for this country and its people. And that is exactly what our reform programme will deliver. The purpose of our reforms is clear providing more good schools, cutting waiting times for treatment further. Bringing relief from crime and anti-social behavior to hard-pressed."

According to the tabloid, as he vows to fight on, a quarter of Labor MPs are against his reforms. Labor whips have revealed the government faces further rebellions from almost 90 of their own MPs.

Last week, 49 Labor members rebelled over the plan to detain terror suspects for 90 days. Another 15 abstained. And Labor's whips have now calculated another 25 have serious doubts about the education and health programmes.

That means 89 of 355 Labor MPs are now potential rebels. The figure is the highest yet and a particular danger because just 71 are needed to force a leadership contest.

A whip said, "A quarter of our MPs are a risk. Even if many can be talked round, the rump who will still rebel is growing larger and more confident."

In a desperate bid to prop up the Prime Minister, Chancellor Gordon Brown has told his own supporters he will not give any rebels a job when he takes over.