British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told his close cabinet friends that he plans to serve a full third term if he is re-elected next summer, the BBC reported Thursday.

If he did, Blair would beat Margaret Thatcher's more than 11 years in power and become one of Britain's longest-serving prime ministers.

"Tony Blair will lead us into the next election and... will serve a full third term as the leader of this party and this country," British Health Secretary John Reid told BBC Radio 4.

"I have never been in any doubt about that," Reid said.

Reid's remarks are widely interpreted as an attempt to stamp on speculation about how long Blair wants to remain as prime minister.

Blair's popularity has been battered by an unpopular war with Iraq and a recent U-turn on holding a referendum on the EU constitution.

Rumors about Blair's political future were fueled at the weekend by former Labor leader Neil Kinnock, who said Blair could quit following a referendum on the EU constitution.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2004)