Sedgefield is starting to swing behind its local Member of Parliament in his hour of need, Tony Blair's constituency agent said yesterday.

Speaking in Mr Blair's office in Trimdon, John Burton said: "In the last couple of days, we have had nothing but phone calls of support. We are getting about 20 calls a day, which is much more than we usually do.

"People have seen the way Tony has been treated and they are thinking that it is no way to treat a man who, whether you agree with him or not, is leading us where he thinks is right. The easiest thing would be for him to do nothing, but he is quite convinced that we must do something for the sake of our children and grandchildren."

Mr Burton believes that talk of a leadership challenge from the anti-war left of the party is a throwback to the days of old Labour.

He said: "We spent 20 years in opposition because we represented party activists and not the community as a whole. We were making policies in smoke-filled rooms and telling the vast majority of people what was good for them, and we are going back to that at the moment.

"I believe that there is a silent majority that supports Tony in trying to avoid war."

13/03/2003