TONY BLAIR was being urged by senior ministers to get a grip on the Government and his party last night by swiftly carrying out a reshuffle that he has already delayed since early November.

As an embarrassed Prime Minister promised to mend his ways by turning up for important Commons votes in the future — his absence caused the key defeat on Tuesday over the Religious Hatred Bill — ministers told him to tackle the growing sense of drift by widening his reshuffle plans and replacing key ministers.

“He has to show he is still in charge and that he has the authority to get through the Bills that matter,” a senior minister told The Times.

But Downing Street maintained a solid refusal throughout the day to say where Mr Blair had been between 8.07pm and 8.25pm on Tuesday when the vote took place that was to water down the Bill.

To have given a straight-forward answer would have added to the sense of ridicule surrounding Mr Blair’s whereabouts. The Times has learnt that he was still in the Commons while the vote was taking place. MPs saw him in the area outside the Commons chamber but not in the chamber itself.

He had been told by the whips that his vote had not been needed because having already lost in one vote it appeared that Labour was heading for another reverse.

However, several of the Labour rebels from the first vote went off for a drink together having decided not to rebel in the second. If Mr Blair had voted — and all that was required was for him to walk through the division lobby because he was in the building — he could have avoided his own and the Government’s humiliation.

Instead, he was driven back to No 10 where he joined his wife, Cherie, and some of his children in the upstairs flat. He had gone to the Commons for the votes from a meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan.

Last night Mr Blair’s colleagues were saying that he should carry out the long-delayed reshuffle before the Commons half-term break on February 16.

Hilary Armstrong, the Chief Whip, who attracted much of the blame for what was seen as a failure of whipping, may be a casualty in spite of Mr Blair’s support for her yesterday, and a question mark remains over whether Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary, will stay in place to see through the key reforms.

Alan Johnson, the Industry Secretary, was being mentioned as a possible replacement in both jobs yesterday and Geoff Hoon, the Commons leader, is also seen as a candidate for chief whip. If Mr Blair follows the advice of close associates to do a much bigger reshuffle he is certain to consult Gordon Brown closely as they could be the last big changes before he hands over the leadership reins. Mr Blair wants to bring in some MPs from the 2005 intake.

Mr Blair tried to play down the blunders that caused the second and third defeats of his premiership. An official said: “He will make sure he does vote in future on important votes. This was a one-off.” He agreed that the whole episode was a “cock-up”.

According to Andrew Tyrie, a Tory MP, Mr Blair has the worst voting record of any modern Prime Minister. “Only once in a session has Tony Blair managed to get to 10 per cent of votes. The average for all prime ministers over the past 30 years is three times that. It cuts him off from his party and Parliament.”

Among Labour MPs and ministers there was anger at events which saw Labour being spectacularly outmanouevred. The Tories effectively “ambushed” the Labour whips by agreeing to the imposition of a two-line whip — which allows MPs to be excused for being away — and then treating the vote as an “all-hands-on-deck” three-line whip. It meantthat there were far more Conservatives present than Labour had expected.

. . . AND NEXT

Monday, February 6

ID Cards Bill, third reading in the Lords. Further attacks expected on proposals that have already faced five defeats in the Lords

Early February

Terrorism Bill. MPs will be asked to overturn a Lords amendment throwing out the Government’s proposed new crime of glorifying terrorism

Monday, February 13

ID Cards Bill back in the Commons

Before end of February

Publication of Education Bill. 95 Labour rebels have signed up to an alternative White Paper in protest at the plans

March

Second reading of Education Bill

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