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Blair Ready to Replace Prescott?

Prime Minister Tony Blair is reportedly sifting through his cabinet to find a suitable replacement to the scandal riddled John Prescott as his deputy.

According to a report, Blair has earmarked Environment Secretary David Miliband as the successor. Blair described Miliband as "the Wayne Rooney of the cabinet" last month.

Blair has good reason to want to replace Prescott, in light of the controversies he has been facing, most recently on his association with casino tycoon Philip Anschutz that had him under allegations of wielding his political influence on the Millennium Dome bid. Blair's government is already under enough fire without the continuous evidence pouring out against Prescott.

It has been rumored that Blair's aides picked out a number of prospective candidates including Education Secretary Alan Johnson last week. But Miliband, a former director of Blair's policy unit is reportedly the clear favorite.

However, it was predicted that Chancellor Gordon Brown would not like to have Miliband taking the job.

"There is no way Gordon would want to see Miliband in that job," a source close to the Chancellor confirmed. "If nothing else, it would mean he inherits a Blairite as his deputy if he takes over from Blair in the near future."

However, Prescott is not showing any signs of wanting to leave his post despite the pressure.

"This is the 10th summer that I am doing it," Prescott said. "If you put it together with Easter and Christmas, it's nearly two months of the year."

"That may come as a bit of a shock to them but it's been going on for nine years and for nine years there has not been a peep of criticism and the polls have gone up for us every time," he added.