Many of us thought 27 June last year was the last day of the Blair years but in fact we have been living in the backwash of his departing ship. Because the new Prime Minister had defined himself so much in terms of being the Anti-Blair that he, in the end, had nothing substantive to offer in its place.

Gordon's position is now untenable. Even the support he is being offered from erstwhile allies sounds hollow. I hope, for his sake, he goes with dignity. Blair avoided looking like Thatcher when he left, Gordon should think of doing the same.

But no matter, because he is clearly on his way out. Even if he digs his heels in it is clear he is paralysed and authority is draining away.

So let's look to the post-Blair future.

Regardless of who is leader (assuming it is someone from the mainstream spectrum that runs from Hutton to Cruddas) we'll have a government that celebrates what is best from the Blair period - our commitment to renewal of public services for instance.

But we'll also move on - the long period of triangulation over Europe should end and instead we should speak out for Britain's fundamental economic interest as an active, reforming member of the EU.The first step, ironically enough, may even be to acknowledge the Lisbon treaty is a dead letter and the EU ought to get on with the job of making Europe a better place to live.

The hubris on the economy will have to end and we'll probably also have to have a more transparent tax system - people want a better NHS so they should know what they are paying to bring it into being.

Where things haven't worked so well - NHS dentistry is one example - we'll have to look for some really radical solutions.

Above all, we'll have to come out of the trenches - not least because we will have to fight for our lives to extend what is, without doubt, the longest period of progressive governance in the history of democratic Britain.

And that's worth fighting for. Time to move on. Time to renew. Time to win.