I have often said that one aspect of the American political system that is sensible is term limits for the president. It is no great surprise to anyone that Tony Blair has today announced his intention to resign as prime minister at the end of June.
In so doing, he has achieved a rare thing in British politics — leaving power at a time of his choosing and at a moment which many feel will place him in a good light. In a move that has been carefully choreographed, his announcement comes shortly after the monumental events that occurred in Northern Ireland earlier this week and before a round of international conferences, which Tony Blair will still lead before what appears to be the inevitable takeover by Gordon Brown, who is the current Chancellor/ Finance Minister.
Tony Blair clearly wants to be remembered as the politician who thought the unthinkable in Northern Ireland and brought Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams to the same table for peace.
He was very emotional at times in his speech, and the BBC has made the video of the whole speech available, as well as the transcript. In the video, Blair shows us once again what a master communicator he is, and I found myself quite choked as this announcement reflects the end of a chapter in the life of my country.
Whether you agree or disagree with Blair’s actions, there is no doubt in my mind that he is a master politician, probably the master politician of his generation anywhere in the world today. He has an astonishing self-belief, and closed his statement with a claim that Britain is the greatest nation on earth, something which almost no other Brit I know would dare to say! There is no doubt that such confident leadership is a great need of people, particularly in these days. Blair will be missed, more than some of us realise.
The following quotes from his speech stood out to me:
- “I have been prime minister of this country for just over 10 years. In this job, in the world today, that is long enough, for me, but more especially for the country.”
- “Sometimes the only way you conquer the pull of power is to set it down.”
- “I looked at my own country, a great country — wonderful history, magnificent traditions, proud of its past, but strangely uncertain of its future, uncertain about the future, almost old-fashioned.”
- “So 1997 was a moment for a new beginning, for sweeping away all the detritus of the past.”
- “Expectations were so high, too high – too high in a way for either of us.”
- “There is only one government since 1945 that can say all of the following: ‘More jobs, fewer unemployed, better health and education results, lower crime and economic growth in every quarter,’ — this one.”
- “Think about the culture of Britain in 2007. I don’t just mean our arts that are thriving. I mean our values, the minimum wage, paid holidays as a right, amongst the best maternity pay and leave in Europe, equality for gay people.
Or look at the debates that reverberate round the world today – the global movement to support Africa in its struggle against poverty, climate change, the fight against terrorism.
Britain is not a follower. It is a leader. It gets the essential characteristic of today’s world — its interdependence.
This is a country today that for all its faults, for all the myriad of unresolved problems and fresh challenges, is comfortable in the 21st Century, at home in its own skin, able not just to be proud of its past but confident of its future.”
- “But I ask you to accept one thing. Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right.
I may have been wrong. That is your call. But believe one thing, if nothing else. I did what I thought was right for our country.
I came into office with high hopes for Britain’s future. I leave it with even higher hopes for Britain’s future.
This is a country that can, today, be excited by the opportunities, not constantly fretful of the dangers.
People often say to me: ‘It’s a tough job’ — not really.
A tough life is the life the young severely disabled children have and their parents, who visited me in Parliament the other week.
Tough is the life my dad had, his whole career cut short at the age of 40 by a stroke. I have been very lucky and very blessed. This country is a blessed nation.
The British are special. The world knows it. In our innermost thoughts, we know it. This is the greatest nation on earth.
It has been an honour to serve it. I give my thanks to you, the British people, for the times I have succeeded, and my apologies to you for the times I have fallen short. Good luck.”
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