Tony Blair

Tony Blair, full name Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953) has been the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since May 1997. He belongs to and is the current leader of the British Labour Party, having been elected to the party leadership in 1994 following the death of his predecessor, John Smith.

While the Labour Party is a self-described "democratic socialist party", it has become very much more centrist under Blair's leadership than was previously the case. Blair coined the phrase "New Labour" to distinguish his own pro-market policies from the more collectivist platform of his predecessors. He also used the phrase "The Third Way"

In the 1990s in particular, Blair was seen as a modern and charismatic leader. His centrist policies and "slick" media image led some commentators to compare him to Bill Clinton.

A combination of Labour's new-found moderation, Blair's personal popularity and the deep unpopularity of the Conservatives under John Major resulted in a landslide victory for Blair and his party in the 1997 general election, ending 18 years of Conservative government. Labour easily won re-election in 2001 and, less convincingly, in 2005.

Tony Blair has stated he will step down as the party leader in time for the Trades Union Congress conference in September 2007 .

During Blair's tenure as Prime Minister, the Labour government made the Bank of England independent, allowing them to set the nation's interest rates (which had previously been set by the Chancellor of the Exchequer), and has introduced a national minimum wage, in 1998, which has gradually been increased over time. Scotland has also gained a devolved Parliament, and Wales a devolved assembly, and limited attempts have been made to devolve power to the regions (although these have not been successful).

One of the most controversial aspects of Blair's premiership has been his commitment to and support of the Iraq war, which has strongly divided opinion, both in the House and among the British people. His strong support of America and President Bush in particular have set him apart from most European leaders, especially with the parties of the left (including his own Labour Party). This has come at considerable political cost with his own popularity suffering greatly, and the government only surviving the 2005 general election due to a weak and unpopular opposition Conservative Party.

Personal

[3] The son of a barrister and lecturer, Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh, but spent most of his childhood in Durham. At the age of 14 he returned to Edinburgh to finish his education at Fettes College. He studied law at Oxford University, and went on to become a barrister himself. before entering politics. Blair married his wife, Cherie Booth QC a barrister in 1980, and they have four children.

As well as being leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, Tony Blair is also the MP for Sedgefield, a constituency located in County Durham in North East England.

Tony Blair is a committed church goer and strongly religious, a fact which is often lampooned in the British media. His wife, Cherie, is a Catholic, and it is thought that Blair himself may be sympathetic to Catholicism although he is officially Anglican.