TONY Blair has formally told the cabinet that he is going to resign, ending a decade at Number 10.
Mr Blair told cabinet colleagues first, before travelling north to his Sedgefield constituency.
He will offer his resignation to the Queen on June 27.
His spokesman said Mr Blair would be focused on being Prime Minister until Labour has chosen his successor - a process expected to last seven weeks.
Chancellor Gordon Brown is the clear favourite to succeed Mr Blair.
Downing Street has confirmed the programme, ending weeks of speculation over when Mr Blair would go public with his retirement plans.
In his decade of power Mr Blair has been the most successful Labour leader ever, winning three general elections.
During that time the government has made a raft of policy changes, including giving independence to the Bank of England and reforming the House of Lords.
But the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its subsequent aftermath has dominated debate about the merits of his time in office.
What will you remember most about the Blair years? What do you think is his legacy? Leave a comment below about the end of his decade in power.
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