LONDON, July 10 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair seriously reviewed his position and considered resignation last month, but was persuaded by his top aides to stay on, the BBC reported Saturday.

    Four cabinet ministers personally urged Blair not to quit and assured him that he had wide government support, BBC said.

    Health Secretary John Reid, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Education Secretary Charles Clarke met Blair separately and urged him to stay on, while Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt wrote to him, it said.

    "Tony Blair is our prime minister -- the most successful prime minister of modern times. He will continue to lead our government," Jowell told BBC radio Saturday.

    The Downing Street made no comment on the report.

    Blair is facing a fresh setback as local media report that the publication of the Lord Butler inquiry report on Wednesday will conclude the claim that Saddam Hussein could deploy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) within 45 minutes was "vague and poorly founded."

    The 45-minute claim, used by Blair to justify war with Iraq, was made four times in the British government's dossier on Iraq's WMD issued in September 2002.

    Blair's support rate has dropped dramatically since the Iraq war. Even Blair himself has admitted that such weapons may be never found in Iraq.

    Blair also admitted last month that the war against Iraq had cost ruling Labor Party votes when it was trounced in local government and European Parliament elections on June 10. Enditem