Tony Blair

Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (b. 1953), known as Tony Blair, was the British Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007. He is known for reforming the Labour Party, which than was called “New Labour”. He followed John Major in office. His successor was Gordon Brown.

Life

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Hazel and Leo Blair, he spent the first years of his life in Adelaide, South Australia where his father worked. After returning to Great Britain in the late 1950s, Blair grew up in Durham and was educated at well-known Edinburgh boarding school Fettes. He graduated with three A-levels and went on to study Law at St. John’s College in Oxford. After leaving Oxford with a second-class degree, he became a trainee barrister in the chambers of Derry Irvine.

Blair married Cherie Booth, a Roman Catholic lawyer, in 1980. The couple has four children: Euan, Nicholas, Kathryn and Leo. Leo was the first child born to a Prime Minister in office since 1849.

Known as a very religious person with his Christian beliefs also largely influencing his politics, Blair converted to Catholicism in 2007. His Tony Blair Faith Foundation aims at supporting inter-religious dialogue arguing that faith is a major force for the world’s improvement.

Politics

After sympathizing with the Conservative Party in his youth, Blair became a member of the Labour Party while studying at Oxford. He later took a very active role in the reformation of his party. He became leader of the Labour Party in 1994 and focussed on domestic policy.

In October 1996, the Labour Party agreed on a manifesto named New Labour which argued for a “Third Way” reflecting both Thatcherism’s and Post-War Consensus’ heritage giving the Labour Party a newer, more modern image, shifting its political position from very left-wing and socialist to a more moderate and central-oriented one, accepting the free market and privatization but also emphasizing the social responsibility of both each individual and society.

The following general election on May 1, 1997 became an enormous success for the Labour Party which won 419 seats. Blair became Prime Minister on May 2, 1997.

The following years changed Great Britain’s image both in the country itself and abroad, a development that led to the term Cool Britannia becoming popular. Blair was one of the youngest Prime Ministers ever and very successful in summing up the nation’s feelings after the death of Princess Diana. All in all, he seemed to represent a younger, modern and multicultural Great Britain.

The new climate was also visible in politics. Britain signed the European Unions Social Charter shortly after the election. The “New Deal” programme was passed to reduce youth unemployment rates. The Bank of England was given the freedom to set interest rates which marked a stark contrast to former government policy. Moreover, the Labour Government made important reforms in the social sector, including the introduction of a minimum wage. The Blair government, as well, strongly supported the collaboration of private and public sector as a new contribution to the Conservative policy of privatization which Labour did not take back but gave a new sense. Blair, as well, stood for a policy of decentralization symbolized by the introduction of the National Parliament in Scotland, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. He signed the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, a treaty that led to a easing in tension in the long-lasting Northern Ireland Conflict. Moreover, the House of Lords was reformed with strongly reducing the number of heritage peers. Blair also fought for the prohibition of fox hunting.

However, the Blair era also included incidents contradicting this moderate British image. In accordance with a bill passed by the Conservative Party, Labour introduced university fees in 1998. Moreover, Blair was widely criticized for leading his country into the war with Iraq and for his Bush-friendly politics in general. Severe criticism on this also came from members of the Labour Party itself and was shared by large parts of the British population. Additionally, Blair introduced a new kind of “Law and Order” policy in Britain which included the introduction of so-called ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Order).

Blair was successful in the elections in 2001 and 2005. The results, however, were not as impressive as in 1997.

Blair resigned from office on June 27, 2007 and was succeeded by Gordon Brown. He them was appointed the official Envoy of the Quartet of the Middle East.

Sources

“Times People: Tony Blair.” The New York Times. [1] (May 13, 2011)

“The Blair Years 1997-2007. BBC. [2] (May 13, 2011)

“About Us.” Tony Blair Faith Foundation. [3] (May 13, 2011)

"Timeline: The Blair Years." BBC. [4] (May 13, 2011)

Hills, John. “Thatcherism, New Labour and the Welfare State.” Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, London School of Economics. PDF. [5] (May 13, 2011)

"Biography." The Office of Tony Blair. [6] (May 13, 2011)