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The Right Honourable
Sir Tony Blair
KG
Tony Blair (2010) (3x4 cropped).jpg
Blair in 2010
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
2 May 1997 – 27 June 2007
Monarch Elizabeth II
Deputy John Prescott
Preceded by John Major
Succeeded by Gordon Brown
Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Assumed office
1 December 2016
Deputy Ian Mulheirn
Preceded by Office established
Special Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East
In office
27 June 2007 – 27 May 2015
Preceded by James Wolfensohn
Succeeded by Kito de Boer
Leader of the Opposition
In office
21 July 1994 – 2 May 1997
Monarch Elizabeth II
Prime Minister John Major
Deputy John Prescott
Preceded by Margaret Beckett
Succeeded by John Major
Leader of the Labour Party
In office
21 July 1994 – 24 June 2007
Deputy John Prescott
Preceded by John Smith
Succeeded by Gordon Brown
Member of Parliament
for Sedgefield
In office
9 June 1983 – 27 June 2007
Preceded by Constituency established
Succeeded by Phil Wilson
Personal details
Born
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair

(1953-05-06) 6 May 1953 (age 72)
Lauriston, Edinburgh, Scotland
Political party Labour
Spouse
​
(m. 1980)​
Children 4, including Euan and Nicky
Parent
  • Leo Blair (father)
Relatives William Blair (brother)
Education
Alma mater St John's College, Oxford (BA)
Signature

Sir Tony Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician. He was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Before that, he led the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007.

Blair was also the Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007. After leaving office, he worked as a special envoy for peace in the Middle East from 2007 to 2015.

He is one of the longest-serving prime ministers in recent British history. He was the first Labour leader to win three general elections in a row. In 2016, he started the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, where he is currently the Executive Chairman.

Early Life and Education

Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 6 May 1953. His parents were Leo and Hazel Blair. He has an older brother, William, and a younger sister, Sarah.

When he was a baby, his family moved to Adelaide, Australia. His father taught law at the University of Adelaide. They returned to the UK in 1958 and settled in Durham.

Blair attended the Chorister School from 1961 to 1966. At 13, he went to Fettes College in Edinburgh. He later studied law at St John's College, Oxford. While at Oxford, he played guitar and sang in a band called Ugly Rumours. He graduated in 1975.

After university, Blair trained to become a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. He met his future wife, Cherie Booth, during his legal training.

Starting in Politics

Blair joined the Labour Party in 1975. He first ran for Parliament in 1982 in a very safe Conservative area, but he did not win.

In 1983, he was chosen to run for the new Sedgefield constituency. He won this election, becoming an MP at the age of 30. Even though Labour lost the general election that year, Blair began his journey in Parliament.

In his first speech in the House of Commons, Blair said he was a socialist. He believed in cooperation and equality. His political career quickly progressed.

Becoming a Leader

Blair became a spokesman for the Treasury in 1984. He was later promoted to other important roles in the Labour Party's "shadow cabinet." This is a group of opposition MPs who watch over government departments.

After the Labour Party lost the 1992 general election, Blair became the Shadow Home Secretary. This role meant he was the main opposition spokesperson on home affairs.

In 1994, the Labour Party leader, John Smith, sadly passed away. Blair then ran for the leadership of the party and won. He became the Leader of the Opposition.

As leader, Blair worked to change the Labour Party. He called this "New Labour." He wanted the party to appeal to more people, not just traditional Labour supporters. One big change was updating the party's goals, moving away from old ideas about nationalising industries.

Tony Blair 1997
Blair in 1997

The Conservative government at the time was not very popular. Blair's leadership helped Labour gain a lot of support in opinion polls. He focused on key issues like education, famously saying his top three priorities were "education, education, and education."

Prime Minister (1997–2007)

In the 1997 general election, Labour won a huge victory. It was their biggest win ever, ending 18 years of Conservative rule. Tony Blair became Prime Minister on 2 May 1997. At 43, he was the youngest Prime Minister of the 20th century.

[[multiple image | direction = horizontal | total_width = 400 | footer = | image1 = President Bill Clinton greets British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Belfast (cropped).jpg | alt1 = | caption1 = Blair with US President Bill Clinton in Belfast, September 1998 | image2 = President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair at Camp David, 23 February 2001.jpg | alt2 = | caption2 = Blair with US President George W. Bush at Camp David, February 2001 ]]

Key Achievements

During his time as Prime Minister, Blair introduced many changes.

  • Peace in Northern Ireland: He played a big part in the Northern Ireland peace process. He helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which brought an end to many years of conflict.
  • Constitutional Changes: His government gave more power to Scotland and Wales, creating the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd. They also changed the House of Lords, removing most of the hereditary peers.
  • Human Rights: The Human Rights Act 1998 was passed, allowing British citizens to use the European Convention on Human Rights in UK courts.
  • Freedom of Information: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gave the public the right to ask for information from government bodies.
  • Social Reforms: Blair's government introduced the minimum wage. They also expanded LGBT+ rights, including civil partnerships and the right for gay couples to adopt.
  • Public Spending: There was a big increase in money spent on healthcare and education. The government aimed to improve the National Health Service (NHS).
  • Welfare Reform: The "New Deal" program helped young people and others find jobs. Tax credits were introduced to help low-income families.

Foreign Policy and Conflicts

Blair's time as Prime Minister was also marked by military actions. He ordered British troops into combat several times.

  • Kosovo and Sierra Leone: British forces were involved in Kosovo in 1999 and Sierra Leone in 2000. These actions were generally seen as successful.
  • War on Terror: After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Blair strongly supported the United States. British forces joined the War in Afghanistan to fight terrorism.
  • Iraq War: The 2003 invasion of Iraq was very controversial. Blair supported the invasion, believing that Saddam Hussein's regime had dangerous weapons. Many people, including some of his own MPs, disagreed with this decision. The war led to a drop in his popularity.
BushBlairIraqSov
Blair with US President George W. Bush at a NATO summit in Turkey, June 2004

Blair had a very close relationship with US President George W. Bush. This alliance was important in his foreign policy decisions.

Leaving Office

Blair won a second election in 2001 and a third in 2005, though with a smaller majority. Pressure grew for him to step down, especially due to the Iraq War.

On 10 May 2007, Blair announced he would resign as Labour leader and Prime Minister. He formally handed over the leadership to Gordon Brown on 24 June 2007. Brown had been his Chancellor. Blair resigned as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007.

After Being Prime Minister

After leaving office, Tony Blair became a special envoy for peace in the Middle East. He worked for the United Nations, European Union, United States, and Russia in this role until 2015.

He also started the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in 2016. This organisation works with governments and groups around the world.

Books and Recognition

Blair has written books about his time in politics. His memoir, A Journey, was published in 2010. He donated all the money from this book to the Royal British Legion, a charity that helps military veterans.

He has received several awards for his public service. These include the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the US in 2009 and the Liberty Medal in 2010. In 2022, he was made a Knight of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth II. This is a very high honour in the UK.

Blair MOF
Blair presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush in 2009

Personal Life

Tony Blair married Cherie Booth in 1980. They have four children: Euan, Nicky, Kathryn, and Leo. Leo was the first child born to a serving Prime Minister in over 150 years.

Blair has spoken about the importance of his Christian faith in his life and decisions. In 2007, he joined the Catholic Church.

Honours

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Tony Blair para niños

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