[Appocomaster]

I do have to agree with the point that Blair comes across as quite genuine. He gets out of almighty messes almost scathe free, and while he supports his cabinet they usually end up taking the fall. I think Blair is hanging on as long as possible because he thinks that Brown is no way near as good in terms of people / publicity skills (which, to be honest, Brown isn't) and Labour would be in a lot more trouble, not because of policies but because of what is said, when Blair leaves.
Getting Brown in might actually lead to a few more left wing policies, but that's really not the major issue.
TBH, he really needs to step down in the next 6 months - 1 year, so Brown has enough time to establish himself before the next general election, but I think he wants to leave it as late as possible.

I have to say that a lot of the senior figures in the cabinet now probably don't have too much of the public's confidence, but most of the Conservatives aren't very well known and so tbh can't take a huge amount of advantage.

A lot of things need to be sorted out (imo), although they always do, but there's so many layers between the top ranks and the "front line" that it takes quite a while to implement any changes and make the public aware of them, and any changes that are made have to be pretty well informed anyway. Education and the NHS have changed so much in the last 10 or so years that it's really not easy to sort everything out.

Of course, sorting out things like the fact that younger kids these days seem to be less controllable isn't a simple issue.