The comments by Environment Secretary David Miliband were widely seen as having been authorized by the prime minister in an attempt to quell a growing rebellion by members of his Labour Party who are demanding he give a timetable for leaving office.

• 公众一致认为，这是布莱尔授权环境部大臣大卫·米里邦德放出的消息，目的是为了平息工党内部人士不断要求其公开卸任时间表的呼声。