A coffee mug held by Prime Minister Tony Blair during a newspaper interview proved to be an appropriate prop¹ to drive home his message about staying in power.

Speaking with The Times at his country retreat outside London, Blair defied growing pressure to set a date for his departure from office while holding a blue-and-white mug bearing the characteristics of his name, Anthony.

"Anthony, your refined inner voice drives your thoughts and deeds," it read on one side.

"You're a man who's in charge others follow your lead. You possess great depth and have a passionate² mind. Others think you're influential³ and kind."

The other side includes more quirky and perhaps less flattering details.

The animal associated with Anthony is the Marabou, which is a large African stork⁴ which scavenges for food. This plant associated with his name is garlic and the color is yellow.

The name's Latin origin means "priceless one", according to the words on the mug. Commentators⁵ saw it perhaps as a warning to critics that he is irreplaceable.

Under the rubric personality, Anthony is described as "humble⁶ and private, you view the world through a dreamy and reflective lens."

In the interview, Blair warned that if the party kept talking about a change in leadership, people would think the government was paralyzed and had run out of steam.

Blair promised after his party won an uprecedented third election in May 2005 that he would step down before the next general election, which must take place no later than in 2010.

His pledge has fueled endless speculation⁷ about his plans, prompting him to say in May that he would give ample time to his chosen successor, finance minister Gordon Brown, to settle in before the next general election.