Premiership of Tony Blair elected Labour leader as the only successfully nominated candidate with 313 nominations compared to John McDonnell's 29 at close of nominations on 17 May 2007, the result being declared formally and coming into effect on 24 June 2007 with Tony Blair resigning as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007 and Gordon Brown being asked to form a government by The Queen later that day. Blair stepped down as an MP immediately triggering a by-election in Sedgefield. He has declined the traditional seat in the House of Lords offered to former Prime Ministers, commenting that it is, "not my scene" Tony
Reading West (UK Parliament constituency) District of West Berkshire wards of Birch Copse, Calcot, Pangbourne, Purley on Thames, Theale, and Westwood. The constituency is bordered by Newbury, Henley, Reading East and Wokingham. The Reading West parliamentary constituency was first contested in 1983, when it was won by a member of the Conservative party, Tony Durant, the sitting MP for the abolished Reading North constituency. He held the seat through two subsequent general elections until he retired at the 1997 election. The constituency was then won by Martin Salter for Labour, as part of the landslide that brought Labour back to power under Tony Blair. Salter