It may be almost two years since Tony Blair was forced out of Downing Street, but he apparently still looms large in the thoughts of Gordon Brown.Britain's ambassador to the Vatican, Francis Campbell, is to step down next year amid rumours that he is being "punished" for being too close to the former prime minister.
In 2005, when Francis Campbell became the first Catholic appointed to the role since the Reformation, he won the post after it was advertised in the media.
It was the first time a British ambassador had been appointed so openly.
However, Gillian Merron, a foreign minister, says Campbell will leave his post next year and be replaced by someone from the Foreign Office or Whitehall.
"This is being done to prevent Campbell applying to keep his job," claims my man at the Foreign Office.
"They knew there was a strong likelihood that he'd apply if the post was advertised externally again."
Campbell, 39, arranged for Blair to meet Pope Benedict XVI a few days before he left No 10 and is thought to have helped pave the way for his conversion to Catholicism six months later.
The ambassador had worked at 10 Downing Street under Blair from 1999 to 2003, first as policy adviser to the prime minister and then private secretary.
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