A very charismatic and able leader. Intellectually probably the most gifted PM the UK has had in the last century. Iraq was his un-doing. How such a smart and able man decided to follow-on with a dullard like Bush is a paradox history has not yet answered. He was streets ahead of Brown, and would easily have bested Cameron and eaten Clegg for lunch, if it wasn't for Iraq. But he did Iraq and Bush. So the UK got Brown, and now Cameron/Clegg, and a deadend street for years to come.
Many of Blair's political decisions improved Britain. The minimum wage, devolution, House of Lords reform, the ban on fox hunting, the winter fuel allowance, the academy scheme; these were all good things done by Labour, and I support them. Despite my anti-Labour stance, I'm not going to pretend that Blair, Brown and Mandelson don't care about things like the NHS and the economy; that would be a lie. They had good intentions, but in the end they simply couldn't deliver. It's as simple as that.
Tony Blair. You were great as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Cheers from Orlando, Florida, United States. Who knows, maybe we will see you as President of the European Union. =]
I never liked Labour, but I liked Blair personally... I still do actually, though Iraq was a mistake, and some of the constitutional changes he's put through
I second that! I am so depressed that those bloody Tories are going to get in power and take our country back a decade... ruin it like Boris is doing to London. because they are so stuck up their own arses, they can't see what is really going on.
has anyone noticed how many people go to see the inauguration of the president, how they make a speak which is not nearly as inovative as a british pm. and yet we dont celebrate this. i hate capitalism
What is he campaigning for? Ever since he stepped down he has been in the political seen doing what looks like Capaignign. I have a hunch he is shooting for The EU prez but what i know? We shall all see...
THIS FAR YOUR PROUD WAVES WILL COME! And no further. Until the proudest, and richest of men, meet where every newborn was born into. And THERE! we will find balance. And NOT 1 foot short, or 1 foot further. And together we will rest. But those with wisdom, and understanding, and I mean true wisdom, and true understanding, not the belittling kind, will men succeed. If anyone should take the extra step, the wise will truely understand who must take it.
Like Gladstone, Blair had the knack of being able to persuade himself that the things he wanted to do and the things that were in his interest to do were the moral thing to do. "Oh, and if I made a mistake, so sorry."
I hate left wingers and I don't like Labour . A left wing counrty needs a right wing government to balance the equation. But this speech confirmed everything I always believed about Tony Blair...he did actually do what he thought was right, although I think a lot of it was wrong. I would dearly love to know the great expectations you felt were not fulfiled. However, Tony, despite the how much I disagree, thanks for what you, at least, tried to do.
THE BRITISH ARE COMING, THE BRITISH ARE COMING! Have things changes since then? British want to tax everyone and they are the ones who want world order. Don't you see it?
Billions of pounds have been wasted on House of Lords reforms. They don't have any real power anyway, they can only delay, so the reform was expensive and unnecessary. It hasn't changed the Lords, they have the same delaying power, but they can't block bills. What was the point?
Tony you did so many good things and improved so many peoples' lives. You got more people into employment than ever before in our history, you introduced the national minimum wage, invested more money into public services, have improved and started building better schools, NHS waiting times are down, you stood up for the rights of gay and lesbian people and ensured their equality, improved the lives of the elderly and disabled, I could go on...you were a true democratic socialist to the core.
Yes, Blair did many good things in his 1st term, but I must wholeheartedly disagree with you on whether he is a democratic socialist. First, a true demsoc would have re-nationalized British Rail, after the countless accidents involving Railtrack. He has plunged millions of students (me including ) into future debt with his tuition fees, and has left this country more complacent, greedy, and cynical than any time before 1997. continued...
So even though it's right for us in the party to be extremely proud of our achievements over the past 10 years, there is an awful lot that we should acknowledge as mistakes and lost chances. Kinnock, Smith and Hattersley were the democratic socialists, not Blair, Mandelson and Brown. Lastly, remember this: Which 'socialist' was guest speaker at the -conservative- Union for a Popular Movement conference in january, and refused to support Royal during the French elections? You're listening to him.
100% agree, Tony blair was the greatest prime minister this country has ever had. I did not agree with some of the policies that he introduced but he was my prime minister and i personally think that he done a very good job. Bring him back.
the labour party youtube channel is absolute joke - they won't let you comment on their videos unless you say something positive about Supreme leader Brown - i call on everyone who wants this government out of office to rate all their videos 1 star and put the thumbs down on every comment they allow through their censorship barriers - this is a complete and utter joke!
You try telling that to the members of the Socialist Campaign Group in the Commons, and the hundreds of disillusioned left-wing Labour Party members up and down the country, who refuse to let the party go downhill into the liberal/third way mush. The Labour left is alive an well across the dining tables of CLPs across the country, and I know this from experience, believe me.
I think that it is very agreeable that everyone in the United States thinks you did a wonderfull job Tony. Did great, if the ppl of the UK can appreciate the good job you have done. than its best u did step down, because they dont deserve.
The man is a giant. The greatest communicator of the modern era. Listen to what he says about his father and "The British Are Special" - simply marvellous. The fact that he retained his humility after 10 years in office is a credit to him. A great deal of politicians have an awful lot to be modest about. Not Blair, for British Politics is undoubtedly the worse for his leaving its stage.
To those racist morons showing dissent at our great prime minister's idea to give £850M to India to help feed their poor and £60M to China to help improve the environment for the Chinese people, you make me throughly ashamed to be English and British.
India and China need all the help they can get as they have thousands of poverty stricken people.
India wanted independence,To stand on THEIR OWN TWO FEET.CHINA IS AN OPPRESSIVE COUNTRY,they should have another revolution to get rid of communism,so They can stand on THEIR OWN TWO FEET.I don't pay my excessive tax in this country so we CAN REGRESS AND END UP LIKE THOSE BACKWARD COUNTRIES.If they spent their money in the right places, they would have no poverty. Same goes for pakistan and every other country concerned with military build up.
china is not an oppressive country. im a chinese students in australia and hv been living in china for about 13 years. i admit that we do hv a human right issue to overcome, but china is definitly not oppressive. Also, PLA does not spend as much money as the US army does. I understand that you maybe fear about the rise of china, because they are communism. However, please remember, china is no longer PURE communism. The communism that we are having is called communism with chinese style.
China is making great strides towards democracy in my view, they just need to respect Tibet's rights. They have promised universal health care when their economy is strong enough to support it
He engineered the unemployment problem in britain. Who's idea was it to make a country the size of england part of the eu? Great now most of the unskilled jobs in england are taken by people of non british origin
Tony a can honestly say you rocked, you always did what was best for us and our country but also catered for others although unseemingly at times some might of said, and even with hindsight i believe your decisions were right and always in the aim of the greater good.
He also stirred the attention of the british youth making politics a little more accesible and he always included them in fact he did what a lot more politicians here and around the globe should do..play it by ear.
Its no easy job , imagine the responsibility of that job , didnt agree with some of the things the party did , but im sure Tony was and is a good man.
I simply couldn't agree anymore with you James.There will always be people out there who will hate him and also love him. But I believe that Labour has made this country one of the best in the world.
Yes but unfortunately it's actions that count, not words. This man has made a mess of education, hospitals, transport, crime, and pretty much every other aspect of British life. He squandered his 10 years in office, talking a lot and doing very little. He should be held to account for his incompetence and deciept.
how do you work that out? when he came into office, i lived in a small town. i can remember my own school there improving year on year... when he first came into office, there were no gates, holes in the roof, no computers, old labs etc... when i left, there were new computer rooms, new sports facilties, new perimeter fencing and security, new labs, better teachers, new roofing, windows, doors, offices, staff, AND better results...the place had been rotting mate. he did something right, i know.
please understand that with employability, these days, is not about 'can u do the job' or 'are u capable of doing the job' its about 'do u fit in' or 'do i like u,' which to me indicates a level of corruption. there's too much vanity going on with employers. they expect school leavers to be seasoned professionals and don't want to work with them, and so the end result is the school leaver doesn't get the job; this in turn affects their self esteem. the employers shud take responsibility aswell.
well, you may be right. you'd know better than i would, i'm not a brit (here's to assuming you are). i agree that actions speak louder than words (i am a hillary clinton supporter, after all), but blair's words speak pretty loudly!
A fraudster but a very good one. Inherited a very healthy country and economy and left it creaking at the seams with massive underlying economic and social problems.
Just read this again after a few months. Good to know there are SO MANY people who do appreciate Tony Blair. And aren't we missing him now? Now that we've seen the 'vision' & character of Brown? Please visit my blog - Keep Tony Blair for PM. Yes, it's still going. You can indulge yourself there away from the idiots.
i had this weird deja-vu of a young jackie kennedy in England at a type of psychic's place getting some kind of spell put on her about how she wanted to be captivating (hold people captive?) it seemed like there was soleil moon frye and a goofy-looking tony blair there.
Yeah he did as much damage as he could to the country and then said goodbye. The sad fact is that Labour are still ahead in the polls, I sometimes think the British public are complete morons.
Let's face it-Blair has been gone for more than a month now, and nobody in the U.K. has really missed him. Our brave soldiers keep getting killed, though.
i dont care what anyone says blair was brilliant for britain no matter what nobody says! he made this britain better and gave brown an easier britain to manage, without blair brown would be nothing at all! well done blair you deserve your credit and ignore the critizism! even the people who cant say a sentance correct "who come labour" when meainind "when come labour" dumb ass!!
Some uncomfortable facts for those Blairities out there: since Blair left Downing Street and Brown took over from him, Labour's opinion ratings have risen to six points ahead of the Tories. Gorden Brown has ditched the stupid idea of us having supercasions here in the UK. He's going to reclassfy cannabis from class C to B agian, and rethink the liberalising of our alcohol laws. If Blair was so good who come Labour are doing so well now?
And the casinos and cannabis are the reasons his party replaced him then, eh? Come on ... it was SUPPOSED to be about Iraq, and yet Brown is doing nothing different. He's not THAT stupid!
Blair is the best. The reason the polls are doing better now is Brown's honeymoon bounce, and, yes, expectations re Iraq. The papers told us Blair was bad, did they not? So the papers must be right. Tchh ... tchh ... how gullible we all are. Well - I'm not. Google Keep Tony blair for PM.
you people dont understand that these terrorist live in their own sick demented vision of life and anyone who does not worship their God they want to kill. They want the jews and the white race all to die because we live the way we live they absolutely hate our way of life.
labour have control of youtube you cant say anything nasty about tony bliar what happened to free speak then....how can anyone call this clown great..
I would never in a million years change the constitution so the termiator could be the president of the U.S. but I'd do it in a heart beat for tony. We need a tony blair as our next president, someone that can actually form and complete a grammatically correct sentence would be nice. What a brilliant human being, something tells me that the people of Britain will miss him much more than they'd be willing to admit.
It was very sad watching live from the states at 4 AM your resignation speech that day. At least they were sweet to your wife Cherie.
And yes, I did get up extra early to watch your speech last May. I feel I grew up in my politics watching you as the world's best politician and leader of our time as an exceptional person - as you'd say.
This man has been a disaster in respect of the relationship beween we British people and the Muslim world, harming our relationship with other nations beyond measure.
Because it happens to be the truth.We hear today that the 'Terrorist Threat' wiil be with us for another 15 years.Does anybody think this would have been the case if we had not followed Bush into Iraq? As it is we are the prime target now.
good a innoncet killer in iraq and afganistan getout.he is the guy who do not care the peacefull british people voice also not to support the bush and usa in his dirty mission. tony make the position of uk as a dog tail of usa. in every operation of usa with blind eyes tony support usa and get nothing just hate from all over the world and specailly by the muslim world.
he probably didnt expect the sunnis and shias in iraq to start blowing each other up and chopping off each others heads. the war and its aftermath was disgracefully managed but its not brits killing iraqis - its iraqis, saudis, iranians etc who support and join insurgent elements. it was a mistake to go to iraq, not afganhistan, as we ignore the islamist threat at our peril. muslims should realise secular nations such as ours are not anti islam, but anti-suicide-bombing-religious-nut-jobs.
We made enough fuss when the russians were in afghanistan.Brits and us killed about one million defenceless iraqis ,that includes about two hundred and fifty thousand children. Countries like iraq now need wmd to defend themselves .
If u cud make a decision, 2 take all as it was in 97, NHS waiting lists, economy, living standards, homelessness, northern ireland, unemployment, technology, crime, kosovo, etc etc wud u go back? Some who deny the changes made over this 10yrs wud go back. Even if it put there loved on's 18 months back on the hospital waiting list.
No matter how good you are, a guaranteed way to become highly unpopular is to become the British PM - sad but true. Thanks for what you have done. God bless.
Tony Blair is just a figurehead, but it's not him pulling the strings I can assure you. Nothing will change with Brown, although they will try to make it look like it. A New World Order towards a one world government is now the primary focus!
What does Harriet Harman have to do with anything. She was sacked as deputy minutes after the polls came in, and was moved to a position where she had barely any power (Cant remember atm)
It's amazing how much the Blairites and his family keep posting favourable emails about Blair on this site. Though I suppose he needs all the friend that he can get at the moment. One more thing, the title of this is 'Blair steps down as leader of the Labour Party'. This is blatantly not true because he still has been our prime minister for over five weeks now, from when he made his leaving speech at his Sedge-field constituency on the 13 of May. What a ridiculous state of affairs were in.
Let's not all applaud at once for the PM. In ten years as the leader of 'New' Labour he has done little to advance England or the UK in general. I was a Labour supporter till a few years ago when I wrote a master's dissertation on the financial validity of PFIs. Owing to this, in part, I am apolitical now and will not vote whenever the general election is. Oh yes, look at the sociopolitical background of one Mrs Harman to see where Labour's policies are heading after the next election.
I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis of Blair's ten years in power. I think the British public's relationship with Blair has been akin to an infatuation, which like all infatuations never seems to last long. Perhaps that is why people can see straight through Camron because of Blair's Machiavellian politics over the last decade.
You blair lovers are so bring everybody that hates blair knows that your all the same person it really is getting old so just give it up your not fooling anyone and your telling me to get a grip after I gave all the reason why Blair is a disgrace why he is the worst prime minister in British history after everything I wrote about him and you still defend what kind of sick pathetic lowlife war mongers you are just go to hell cause thats where Blair's going you Blair lovers go with him
"worst prime minister ever" GET A GRIP! He has transformed Britain into a country to be proud of from what the tories made it (destroyed public services, mass unemployment etc). Now we lead the world in the most technologically advanced industries and our companies are succeeding in all areas due to our free market policies (unlike many countries who claim this status). NHS vastly improved, crime down (shocking to daily mail readers) and a booming economy. Tony Blair = one of the best PMs ever!
Tony Blair has been a militant leader, and admitted at every turn if he was wrong. Would you rather he was involved in a massive cover up!? And the WMD business, he was following American intelligence no doubt, so blame them, not him.
Excuses, excuses, excuses it gets so boring hearing the same old crap from the Blairights. Just face up to it the man is a complete asshole and you know it! Haven't we got an intelligence service here in this country? A pathetic and desperate excuse there to blame it wholely on the US Blair showed his lack of judgement over Iraq and his unswerving devotion to George Bush. I hope he has nightnares the rest of his life over Iraq.
Absolutely right,callmewilson.He's continued Thatcher's work (NHS,City Academies) with this blind idea that profit-making companies are inherently better than public ownership.And WMD-well!! I am still waiting for a reply to my question-why weren't the Thatcherite Anti-Trade Union Laws repealed ?
Yes, he's ruined the education system by centralising it like some Stalinist state,taken us into an illegal war which has killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians, and do you really think that crime has dropped? Go out and talk to real people-not just the members of some random Chelsea focus group.
I'm sorry but I really must protest strongly at your comment. First, what's wrong with pro-Blair comments? When he steps down he will have been our Prime Minister for ten years. In that time he has reformed the education system of this country, stood side by side with our American allies during the war in Iraq (despite many people hating him for it), cut unemployment and homelessness, reduced crime rates in many areas, and many other things.
what happened to expressing myself about how i feel about that lying war monger Blair why censor all my comments blair is a liar he went to 2 illegal wars in which 655000 iraqis have died and dozens of afgahn and thousands of Afghan civilians and blair has had a big role to play in all this
Is there anybody else apart from myself who thinks that all these pro-Blair posts are being written by one person? Probably someone at MI6 or the CIA.
Tony Blair has made britain one the most hated country in the world there was no WMD in iraq there was no link to alqaeda and saddam it was all a lie for oil and now 655000 of those iraqis are no longer here today hundreds getting blown up everydays there bodies tortured there woman u cant just ignore all that and say Tony Blair has been a good Prime Minister cause to me hes been the worst prime minister in British history
I'll remember Tony Blair as a great Prime Minister of the UK. He was put through a lot of challenges, but I still think he did a good job, and he seems like a nice man, too.
Stop giving this man a hard time. He has never could never do the damage that Thatcher did! You may not like him but did not destroyed British culture as the afore mentioned "person" did. Also, I didnt like the Iraq war, but I didnt like previous wars and wont like future wars to come. Please remember our country when you vote comrades - If you love Britain - KEEP TORIES OUT!
In 1997 the Mass Media brainwashed the public into believing that New Labour were some fairytale government. A fantasy was created that under NL we would contribute nothing and receive everything! Tony Blair had the hardest PM job Ever, But he did it! He brought Labour a record consecutive Three terms!! My lord less than 15 years before he came to power the party was on deaths door!
Stop censoring my comments just cause I speak the truth about Tony Blair and you can't handle it if ur gonna let all the blair lovers talk then why censor all the anti Blair comments ive written im so sick of this wheres my freesom of expression typical labour what do u expect
Thats complete rubbish "listaband" I have read a few negative comments on here, they dont censor them at all. My only suggestion is that you said something unsuitable to be posted.
As an American, I feel guilty watching this. I feel we have all let Mr. Blair down. He put faith in his alliance with us and became a victim of our corruption. I think he is a great man, and a wonderfully intelligent leader. For those of you so critical, you should be grateful that you have a leader who speaks with intellect and leads from the heart. Our president is an embarrassment to watch. I only hope our administration has not completely alienated our alliances throughout the world.
Blair and Bush are as bad as each other.See today's news about alleged cash for peerages investigations.The people of Britain deserved a much better P.M.than Blair has been.The Labour Party deserved a better leader.
TONY BLAIR IS THE BEST PRIME MINISTER IN THE WORLD!!!!!! although he might have made deep mistakes like IRAQ.... but he is still the best British Prime Minister this country has ever had!!!!!
By: Abdullah Mustafa although iam not sure of BROWN bieng a P.M
he did more as a leader of that administration , the living standards improved and as he rightly states unemployment was at it's lowest ..
a true statesman in my opinion ..
eric2maccom 5 months ago
mythical!
giuliabuk 8 months ago
Tony Blair was formidable!
Maybe a bit too pro active but generally a good pm
With todays media no politician can out stay their shelf life
DarkPigeon21 10 months ago
I would vote for him still.
StringArms 1 year ago 4
If he was our leader for 2010 Labour would still be in power because he would expose the conservatives once again!
ALWAYS LABOUR ALWAYS PROUD TO BE LABOUR!
lukespencer91 1 year ago
A very charismatic and able leader. Intellectually probably the most gifted PM the UK has had in the last century. Iraq was his un-doing. How such a smart and able man decided to follow-on with a dullard like Bush is a paradox history has not yet answered. He was streets ahead of Brown, and would easily have bested Cameron and eaten Clegg for lunch, if it wasn't for Iraq. But he did Iraq and Bush. So the UK got Brown, and now Cameron/Clegg, and a deadend street for years to come.
trevorx1960 1 year ago
probably the best Labour PM and best PM in the UK ever.
Abdikareem0 1 year ago 7
a distinguished man!
zzjjt 1 year ago
i really miss the Blair years.
journeymanjim 1 year ago 5
Bring back Tony Blair!!!
NumberDne 1 year ago 9
Many of Blair's political decisions improved Britain. The minimum wage, devolution, House of Lords reform, the ban on fox hunting, the winter fuel allowance, the academy scheme; these were all good things done by Labour, and I support them. Despite my anti-Labour stance, I'm not going to pretend that Blair, Brown and Mandelson don't care about things like the NHS and the economy; that would be a lie. They had good intentions, but in the end they simply couldn't deliver. It's as simple as that.
LoveEuropeHateTheEU 1 year ago
tony is one of the best prime minister in britain
MrMandela001 1 year ago 8
So true he was and this was a sad day for Britain when he announced he was stepping down, he will go down in history loved and respected by most.
thebigkiller2010 1 year ago
Tony Blair. You were great as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Cheers from Orlando, Florida, United States. Who knows, maybe we will see you as President of the European Union. =]
DeadlyTakumi 2 years ago
I never liked Labour, but I liked Blair personally... I still do actually, though Iraq was a mistake, and some of the constitutional changes he's put through
linhert89 2 years ago 8
he was a genious
primalsuspence114 2 years ago
I can't see New Labour getting in again under Brown in 2010.
No chance.The Tories will get back in,i really can't feel excited about that....
PeteGeeza86 2 years ago 7
I second that! I am so depressed that those bloody Tories are going to get in power and take our country back a decade... ruin it like Boris is doing to London. because they are so stuck up their own arses, they can't see what is really going on.
bringmemybow 2 years ago
A good PM in a few ways,but Iraq was a terrible mistake.What was he thinking???
PeteGeeza86 2 years ago 3
I agree. He would've gone down as a great PM if only he was able to stay out of American Wars like Thatcher.
squintyshot 2 years ago 3
Him and Thatcher I really do respect. Just wish he didn't join that blasted war...
JAMTAM 2 years ago
great speaker.... great manager not a bad pm but thatcher was better
thatcheritescot 3 years ago
has anyone noticed how many people go to see the inauguration of the president, how they make a speak which is not nearly as inovative as a british pm. and yet we dont celebrate this. i hate capitalism
kahuna390 3 years ago
The reason for that is the President of the US is Head of State. The British PM isn't Head of State, the Queen is head of State here.
buffboydan 3 years ago
yes good man!
max88lea 3 years ago
Even though I am not British, i like Tony, including his speech,his debate and so on.
Billystream 3 years ago 7
delivering good speaches was all he was ever good at
buffboydan 3 years ago
Even im not british, and against the war. but i can say he is a great not just priminister but a a true leader.
freedomfighter84 3 years ago 8
thanks for standing up & posting a comment that recognizes the fact that a leader can be great even if you disagree with some of their decisions. :-)
sprinklefriend 3 years ago
What is he campaigning for? Ever since he stepped down he has been in the political seen doing what looks like Capaignign. I have a hunch he is shooting for The EU prez but what i know? We shall all see...
johnandraquell 3 years ago
Im conservative but i have to agree.
wheelers04 3 years ago 2
THIS FAR YOUR PROUD WAVES WILL COME! And no further. Until the proudest, and richest of men, meet where every newborn was born into. And THERE! we will find balance. And NOT 1 foot short, or 1 foot further. And together we will rest. But those with wisdom, and understanding, and I mean true wisdom, and true understanding, not the belittling kind, will men succeed. If anyone should take the extra step, the wise will truely understand who must take it.
Peace to all men. Not just a select few.
DescryHidden 3 years ago
Like Gladstone, Blair had the knack of being able to persuade himself that the things he wanted to do and the things that were in his interest to do were the moral thing to do. "Oh, and if I made a mistake, so sorry."
mc0558 3 years ago
Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, two Rhodes Scholar, two very eloquent speakers, two very visionary and successful leaders.
I miss these two men.
What can I say.
Pss! I am not British. Iam Kenyan.
SonNative 3 years ago 3
a smart kenyan
max88lea 3 years ago
One of the Greatest PM of Britain as well of my life time. For Blair, Terrorism will never win!!!!
adam89minn 3 years ago 7
17.15 to 17.29 every word a true word we are proud we are British
cymrucymreig 3 years ago 4
Also, Thanks for an inspirational line that has kept me going..."It may be out of the possible, but at least give it a go."
skeletorphd 3 years ago
I hate left wingers and I don't like Labour . A left wing counrty needs a right wing government to balance the equation. But this speech confirmed everything I always believed about Tony Blair...he did actually do what he thought was right, although I think a lot of it was wrong. I would dearly love to know the great expectations you felt were not fulfiled. However, Tony, despite the how much I disagree, thanks for what you, at least, tried to do.
skeletorphd 3 years ago
He was an incredible PM. Now he has gone the British are begining to realise just how incredibly talented and moralistic he reallly was.
parkhamno1 3 years ago
Best Pm ever!!! He took tough decisions and the war worth it. The peolpe that threaten or freedom will never give up.
Kamjuttla462202 3 years ago 4
God Bless Him
solomonadeleye 3 years ago 4
If nothing else, he is a fantastic speaker.
jjm121 3 years ago 18
i am glad that he has gone
rachiefriesx 3 years ago
THE BRITISH ARE COMING, THE BRITISH ARE COMING! Have things changes since then? British want to tax everyone and they are the ones who want world order. Don't you see it?
Descryminds 3 years ago
y did ya go, tony???
ngai1842 3 years ago 2
Billions of pounds have been wasted on House of Lords reforms. They don't have any real power anyway, they can only delay, so the reform was expensive and unnecessary. It hasn't changed the Lords, they have the same delaying power, but they can't block bills. What was the point?
dragonlee90 3 years ago
He solved problems by creating new problems.
ManlySlut 3 years ago
I LOVE YOU TONY!!! X
gemcolvin 3 years ago
A very moving speech. I have never liked him but i was truely moved by this...
Powwaa 3 years ago
Tony you did so many good things and improved so many peoples' lives. You got more people into employment than ever before in our history, you introduced the national minimum wage, invested more money into public services, have improved and started building better schools, NHS waiting times are down, you stood up for the rights of gay and lesbian people and ensured their equality, improved the lives of the elderly and disabled, I could go on...you were a true democratic socialist to the core.
old9skool9love 3 years ago 3
Yes, Blair did many good things in his 1st term, but I must wholeheartedly disagree with you on whether he is a democratic socialist. First, a true demsoc would have re-nationalized British Rail, after the countless accidents involving Railtrack. He has plunged millions of students (me including ) into future debt with his tuition fees, and has left this country more complacent, greedy, and cynical than any time before 1997. continued...
053bss 3 years ago
So even though it's right for us in the party to be extremely proud of our achievements over the past 10 years, there is an awful lot that we should acknowledge as mistakes and lost chances. Kinnock, Smith and Hattersley were the democratic socialists, not Blair, Mandelson and Brown. Lastly, remember this: Which 'socialist' was guest speaker at the -conservative- Union for a Popular Movement conference in january, and refused to support Royal during the French elections? You're listening to him.
053bss 3 years ago
100% agree, Tony blair was the greatest prime minister this country has ever had. I did not agree with some of the policies that he introduced but he was my prime minister and i personally think that he done a very good job. Bring him back.
natashafullard 3 years ago
He stepped down because he was sick of being Bush's lap dog. Anyone would get tired of that job after a while.
Scotty7617 3 years ago
he was the best out of labour no one else comes close
goldmemberpancake 3 years ago 22
Not even Attle?
Redcarpet01 3 years ago
Do you have a video when tony invited lady thatcher to no10 for a cup of tea???I would love that.
GreetingsEarthPeople 3 years ago
God bless tony blair.Thank you labour party i know capitalism is safe in your hands.I have also converted to the catholic faith.God bless you all.
GreetingsEarthPeople 3 years ago
the labour party youtube channel is absolute joke - they won't let you comment on their videos unless you say something positive about Supreme leader Brown - i call on everyone who wants this government out of office to rate all their videos 1 star and put the thumbs down on every comment they allow through their censorship barriers - this is a complete and utter joke!
Britlandish 3 years ago
I don't like Tony Blair.
ComputerNerd1993 3 years ago
The labour party is not and never was a socialist party.Its the tory mk2 party.Good riddance to blair,he has been replaced by another bogus sheperd.
majorMcpharter 3 years ago
You try telling that to the members of the Socialist Campaign Group in the Commons, and the hundreds of disillusioned left-wing Labour Party members up and down the country, who refuse to let the party go downhill into the liberal/third way mush. The Labour left is alive an well across the dining tables of CLPs across the country, and I know this from experience, believe me.
053bss 3 years ago
I think that it is very agreeable that everyone in the United States thinks you did a wonderfull job Tony. Did great, if the ppl of the UK can appreciate the good job you have done. than its best u did step down, because they dont deserve.
rlipka99 3 years ago
You think you know British politics better than we do?
guruwUrU 3 years ago 2
The man is a giant. The greatest communicator of the modern era. Listen to what he says about his father and "The British Are Special" - simply marvellous. The fact that he retained his humility after 10 years in office is a credit to him. A great deal of politicians have an awful lot to be modest about. Not Blair, for British Politics is undoubtedly the worse for his leaving its stage.
peteholly1971 3 years ago 5
A giant god bless tony blair.
GreetingsEarthPeople 3 years ago
tony blair is a true heroe for every enemy of the uk..what a man eh
MANCKIE 4 years ago
Brtish is under the shadow of USA, that's the tragedy of Blair.
yfus 4 years ago
To those racist morons showing dissent at our great prime minister's idea to give £850M to India to help feed their poor and £60M to China to help improve the environment for the Chinese people, you make me throughly ashamed to be English and British.
India and China need all the help they can get as they have thousands of poverty stricken people.
I simply hate racism.
bigscolari 4 years ago
Of course there is no poverty in the UK, so go for it , solve the rest of the worlds problems.
smellycar14 4 years ago
India wanted independence,To stand on THEIR OWN TWO FEET.CHINA IS AN OPPRESSIVE COUNTRY,they should have another revolution to get rid of communism,so They can stand on THEIR OWN TWO FEET.I don't pay my excessive tax in this country so we CAN REGRESS AND END UP LIKE THOSE BACKWARD COUNTRIES.If they spent their money in the right places, they would have no poverty. Same goes for pakistan and every other country concerned with military build up.
stevexx1975 3 years ago
china is not an oppressive country. im a chinese students in australia and hv been living in china for about 13 years. i admit that we do hv a human right issue to overcome, but china is definitly not oppressive. Also, PLA does not spend as much money as the US army does. I understand that you maybe fear about the rise of china, because they are communism. However, please remember, china is no longer PURE communism. The communism that we are having is called communism with chinese style.
jackster029 3 years ago
China is making great strides towards democracy in my view, they just need to respect Tibet's rights. They have promised universal health care when their economy is strong enough to support it
dragonlee90 3 years ago
Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies. I'm sorry that's all I can say. All my other Lies are classified.
airscrew1 4 years ago 2
New World Order.
martynblackburn1977 4 years ago 3
He engineered the unemployment problem in britain. Who's idea was it to make a country the size of england part of the eu? Great now most of the unskilled jobs in england are taken by people of non british origin
chunder123 4 years ago 2
sancamonious self egotiscical excuse of a failed prime minister doing what he was raelly good at,,,spin !!
discopappa 4 years ago
Tony a can honestly say you rocked, you always did what was best for us and our country but also catered for others although unseemingly at times some might of said, and even with hindsight i believe your decisions were right and always in the aim of the greater good.
He also stirred the attention of the british youth making politics a little more accesible and he always included them in fact he did what a lot more politicians here and around the globe should do..play it by ear.
urquiza78 4 years ago 2
Its no easy job , imagine the responsibility of that job , didnt agree with some of the things the party did , but im sure Tony was and is a good man.
jamessherred 4 years ago
I simply couldn't agree anymore with you James.There will always be people out there who will hate him and also love him. But I believe that Labour has made this country one of the best in the world.
Libe84 4 years ago
This is guy is not a honest chap WERE IS THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESRUCTION IN IRAQ LIAR LIAR LIAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
muddy2007 4 years ago
in uk
gilessmokey 4 years ago
How would you find something hidden away before you come?
Ritzounett 4 years ago
Iraq DID have WMDs, They had SCUDS which they fired at Israel.
LIAR LIAR LIAR!!!!!!! @ muddy2007
Blackhawkdown234 4 years ago
Think yourself lucky you`re not on trial for war crimes.You should have been brave enough to stand against mad america.
gilessmokey 4 years ago
an honest chap.
misterfisherman 4 years ago
so honest he took us into an ilegal war on a pack of lies.
Fraiserd 4 years ago
hahaha snap!
carlisiano 4 years ago
What exactly is a "legal" war?
DerDemagoge89 4 years ago
what a good speaker
babydoll0538 4 years ago
Yes but unfortunately it's actions that count, not words. This man has made a mess of education, hospitals, transport, crime, and pretty much every other aspect of British life. He squandered his 10 years in office, talking a lot and doing very little. He should be held to account for his incompetence and deciept.
SteelyEyedKipper 4 years ago 2
deceipt i agree
gilessmokey 4 years ago
how do you work that out? when he came into office, i lived in a small town. i can remember my own school there improving year on year... when he first came into office, there were no gates, holes in the roof, no computers, old labs etc... when i left, there were new computer rooms, new sports facilties, new perimeter fencing and security, new labs, better teachers, new roofing, windows, doors, offices, staff, AND better results...the place had been rotting mate. he did something right, i know.
fuglyno1 4 years ago 4
If he did something right, how come employers really struggle to find any school leavers who are employable these days?
KissMyHoop 4 years ago
please understand that with employability, these days, is not about 'can u do the job' or 'are u capable of doing the job' its about 'do u fit in' or 'do i like u,' which to me indicates a level of corruption. there's too much vanity going on with employers. they expect school leavers to be seasoned professionals and don't want to work with them, and so the end result is the school leaver doesn't get the job; this in turn affects their self esteem. the employers shud take responsibility aswell.
stealth5580 3 years ago
well, you may be right. you'd know better than i would, i'm not a brit (here's to assuming you are). i agree that actions speak louder than words (i am a hillary clinton supporter, after all), but blair's words speak pretty loudly!
babydoll0538 3 years ago
im just wondering here but since youtube is mainly a site used bypeople in thier teens/early twenties.
how many of us saying he was awful have actually experienced another leader in power and can reason there decisions the same way you do with blair?
dannyboy1992 4 years ago
A fraudster but a very good one. Inherited a very healthy country and economy and left it creaking at the seams with massive underlying economic and social problems.
Buggsy61 4 years ago
Just read this again after a few months. Good to know there are SO MANY people who do appreciate Tony Blair. And aren't we missing him now? Now that we've seen the 'vision' & character of Brown? Please visit my blog - Keep Tony Blair for PM. Yes, it's still going. You can indulge yourself there away from the idiots.
BlairSupporter 4 years ago
just wait a few months and we will find these WMD said tony.
gilessmokey 4 years ago
yo he dis portugal dude they been our ally longer than USA
fuglyno1 4 years ago
Good video but if only i met Tony in person, i had 1 or 2 things i would like to have said to him.
Deadright07 4 years ago
17:30 I absobloodylutely agree on that!
spqrodrigo 4 years ago
i had this weird deja-vu of a young jackie kennedy in England at a type of psychic's place getting some kind of spell put on her about how she wanted to be captivating (hold people captive?) it seemed like there was soleil moon frye and a goofy-looking tony blair there.
deritpeehs 4 years ago
5 stars for the speech, not the fact my - okay, Britain's - Superman is gone.
SVCAlumnus 4 years ago
Yeah he did as much damage as he could to the country and then said goodbye. The sad fact is that Labour are still ahead in the polls, I sometimes think the British public are complete morons.
trap9876 4 years ago 2
Let's face it-Blair has been gone for more than a month now, and nobody in the U.K. has really missed him. Our brave soldiers keep getting killed, though.
ric55 4 years ago
I have missed him.. so do not say nobody has missed him
jampotjohn 4 years ago
me too.
ammerocks 4 years ago
i dont care what anyone says blair was brilliant for britain no matter what nobody says! he made this britain better and gave brown an easier britain to manage, without blair brown would be nothing at all! well done blair you deserve your credit and ignore the critizism! even the people who cant say a sentance correct "who come labour" when meainind "when come labour" dumb ass!!
cjdyson9 4 years ago
well said!
jampotjohn 4 years ago
Some uncomfortable facts for those Blairities out there: since Blair left Downing Street and Brown took over from him, Labour's opinion ratings have risen to six points ahead of the Tories. Gorden Brown has ditched the stupid idea of us having supercasions here in the UK. He's going to reclassfy cannabis from class C to B agian, and rethink the liberalising of our alcohol laws. If Blair was so good who come Labour are doing so well now?
Gayunderweather 4 years ago
And the casinos and cannabis are the reasons his party replaced him then, eh? Come on ... it was SUPPOSED to be about Iraq, and yet Brown is doing nothing different. He's not THAT stupid!
Blair is the best. The reason the polls are doing better now is Brown's honeymoon bounce, and, yes, expectations re Iraq. The papers told us Blair was bad, did they not? So the papers must be right. Tchh ... tchh ... how gullible we all are. Well - I'm not. Google Keep Tony blair for PM.
BlairSupporter 4 years ago
you people dont understand that these terrorist live in their own sick demented vision of life and anyone who does not worship their God they want to kill. They want the jews and the white race all to die because we live the way we live they absolutely hate our way of life.
Marine4life09 4 years ago
i do not agree with his getting involved in the middle east, but he did what he thought was right. he is very open and i admired him for that
manny4life 4 years ago
labour have control of youtube you cant say anything nasty about tony bliar what happened to free speak then....how can anyone call this clown great..
countrywideboy 4 years ago
I see that New Labour control this part of Youtube. More controlfreakery at work!
FLAVCO 4 years ago
They control the BBC as well.
Gayunderweather 4 years ago
Good Riddance!!
FLAVCO 4 years ago
I would never in a million years change the constitution so the termiator could be the president of the U.S. but I'd do it in a heart beat for tony. We need a tony blair as our next president, someone that can actually form and complete a grammatically correct sentence would be nice. What a brilliant human being, something tells me that the people of Britain will miss him much more than they'd be willing to admit.
malpal80 4 years ago
He was a dictator
waine9574 4 years ago
Well, Stan Laurel would make a better president than Bush! If you really want Blair you can have him.
ric55 4 years ago
G*d bless you Tony Blair!!! You da man!!!!!
It was very sad watching live from the states at 4 AM your resignation speech that day. At least they were sweet to your wife Cherie.
And yes, I did get up extra early to watch your speech last May. I feel I grew up in my politics watching you as the world's best politician and leader of our time as an exceptional person - as you'd say.
SVCAlumnus 4 years ago 3
a great man, a great leader, who knew although his visions may be missjugded, still had the guts to carry them out
kaminoryu 4 years ago 2
This man has been a disaster in respect of the relationship beween we British people and the Muslim world, harming our relationship with other nations beyond measure.
ric55 4 years ago
How can you even say that?
waine9574 4 years ago 2
Because it happens to be the truth.We hear today that the 'Terrorist Threat' wiil be with us for another 15 years.Does anybody think this would have been the case if we had not followed Bush into Iraq? As it is we are the prime target now.
ric55 4 years ago
good a innoncet killer in iraq and afganistan getout.he is the guy who do not care the peacefull british people voice also not to support the bush and usa in his dirty mission. tony make the position of uk as a dog tail of usa. in every operation of usa with blind eyes tony support usa and get nothing just hate from all over the world and specailly by the muslim world.
nawy2k07 4 years ago
he probably didnt expect the sunnis and shias in iraq to start blowing each other up and chopping off each others heads. the war and its aftermath was disgracefully managed but its not brits killing iraqis - its iraqis, saudis, iranians etc who support and join insurgent elements. it was a mistake to go to iraq, not afganhistan, as we ignore the islamist threat at our peril. muslims should realise secular nations such as ours are not anti islam, but anti-suicide-bombing-religious-nut-jobs.
fuglyno1 4 years ago
We made enough fuss when the russians were in afghanistan.Brits and us killed about one million defenceless iraqis ,that includes about two hundred and fifty thousand children. Countries like iraq now need wmd to defend themselves .
gilessmokey 4 years ago
As a conservative myself still actually liked the British PM-Tony Blair. He lead by reality not lefty political correctness. Larry
dbbjohnston 4 years ago
he was a great leader!
jampotjohn 4 years ago
If u cud make a decision, 2 take all as it was in 97, NHS waiting lists, economy, living standards, homelessness, northern ireland, unemployment, technology, crime, kosovo, etc etc wud u go back? Some who deny the changes made over this 10yrs wud go back. Even if it put there loved on's 18 months back on the hospital waiting list.
120762mw 4 years ago
tony blair rocks - pity he was never the US President - possibly th greatest leader and thinker the world ever saw
flattzer84 4 years ago
No matter how good you are, a guaranteed way to become highly unpopular is to become the British PM - sad but true. Thanks for what you have done. God bless.
oomblikkies 4 years ago
Tony Blair is just a figurehead, but it's not him pulling the strings I can assure you. Nothing will change with Brown, although they will try to make it look like it. A New World Order towards a one world government is now the primary focus!
mediadisbeliever 4 years ago
What does Harriet Harman have to do with anything. She was sacked as deputy minutes after the polls came in, and was moved to a position where she had barely any power (Cant remember atm)
n0belium 4 years ago
Best PM we've ever had.
EvilKris 4 years ago
There's no evidence that Tony Blair ever actually was Prime Minister.
jonnyopinion 4 years ago
It's amazing how much the Blairites and his family keep posting favourable emails about Blair on this site. Though I suppose he needs all the friend that he can get at the moment. One more thing, the title of this is 'Blair steps down as leader of the Labour Party'. This is blatantly not true because he still has been our prime minister for over five weeks now, from when he made his leaving speech at his Sedge-field constituency on the 13 of May. What a ridiculous state of affairs were in.
Gayunderweather 4 years ago
Let's not all applaud at once for the PM. In ten years as the leader of 'New' Labour he has done little to advance England or the UK in general. I was a Labour supporter till a few years ago when I wrote a master's dissertation on the financial validity of PFIs. Owing to this, in part, I am apolitical now and will not vote whenever the general election is. Oh yes, look at the sociopolitical background of one Mrs Harman to see where Labour's policies are heading after the next election.
ColinIsard 4 years ago
I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis of Blair's ten years in power. I think the British public's relationship with Blair has been akin to an infatuation, which like all infatuations never seems to last long. Perhaps that is why people can see straight through Camron because of Blair's Machiavellian politics over the last decade.
Gayunderweather 4 years ago
He didn't listen to his country when there was many protests against the Irag war.
Benfranklinsux666 4 years ago
As a PM of the UK, Blaire had done much.And what he had done is nessary even if any other one who stand on that point.
talent0504 4 years ago
How does Blair manage to pay £4.8 million mortgage on a poor PM`s wages.
13011951 4 years ago
You blair lovers are so bring everybody that hates blair knows that your all the same person it really is getting old so just give it up your not fooling anyone and your telling me to get a grip after I gave all the reason why Blair is a disgrace why he is the worst prime minister in British history after everything I wrote about him and you still defend what kind of sick pathetic lowlife war mongers you are just go to hell cause thats where Blair's going you Blair lovers go with him
listaband 4 years ago
Full stops are not your enemy.
nastyshrew 4 years ago
He Looked after Scotland with education and health, free presciptions and no university fees all at the expense of Englands taxpayers.
13011951 4 years ago
"worst prime minister ever" GET A GRIP! He has transformed Britain into a country to be proud of from what the tories made it (destroyed public services, mass unemployment etc). Now we lead the world in the most technologically advanced industries and our companies are succeeding in all areas due to our free market policies (unlike many countries who claim this status). NHS vastly improved, crime down (shocking to daily mail readers) and a booming economy. Tony Blair = one of the best PMs ever!
luckyiwasntpissed 4 years ago
Tony Blair has been a militant leader, and admitted at every turn if he was wrong. Would you rather he was involved in a massive cover up!? And the WMD business, he was following American intelligence no doubt, so blame them, not him.
santiago1541 4 years ago
Excuses, excuses, excuses it gets so boring hearing the same old crap from the Blairights. Just face up to it the man is a complete asshole and you know it! Haven't we got an intelligence service here in this country? A pathetic and desperate excuse there to blame it wholely on the US Blair showed his lack of judgement over Iraq and his unswerving devotion to George Bush. I hope he has nightnares the rest of his life over Iraq.
Gayunderweather 4 years ago
Tony Blair, at last he's going, has totally destroyed Britain as a country. Awful PM.
callmewilson 4 years ago
Absolutely right,callmewilson.He's continued Thatcher's work (NHS,City Academies) with this blind idea that profit-making companies are inherently better than public ownership.And WMD-well!! I am still waiting for a reply to my question-why weren't the Thatcherite Anti-Trade Union Laws repealed ?
ric55 4 years ago
Tony Blair has done so much for Britan´s economy over the years. He deserves our respect and objectivity.
And yes, he will be missed.
WRITER1989 4 years ago
I'll miss blair!
bannerdb 4 years ago
Yes, he's ruined the education system by centralising it like some Stalinist state,taken us into an illegal war which has killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians, and do you really think that crime has dropped? Go out and talk to real people-not just the members of some random Chelsea focus group.
ric55 4 years ago
Is there anybody else out there apart from me who thinks that all these pro-Blair comments are being written by one person?
ric55 4 years ago
I'm sorry but I really must protest strongly at your comment. First, what's wrong with pro-Blair comments? When he steps down he will have been our Prime Minister for ten years. In that time he has reformed the education system of this country, stood side by side with our American allies during the war in Iraq (despite many people hating him for it), cut unemployment and homelessness, reduced crime rates in many areas, and many other things.
JamesMason33 4 years ago
what happened to expressing myself about how i feel about that lying war monger Blair why censor all my comments blair is a liar he went to 2 illegal wars in which 655000 iraqis have died and dozens of afgahn and thousands of Afghan civilians and blair has had a big role to play in all this
listaband 4 years ago
this man has done such a great job, he deserves nothing but praise, remarkable!!
thehindugod 4 years ago
Is there anybody else apart from myself who thinks that all these pro-Blair posts are being written by one person? Probably someone at MI6 or the CIA.
ric55 4 years ago
Tony Blair has made britain one the most hated country in the world there was no WMD in iraq there was no link to alqaeda and saddam it was all a lie for oil and now 655000 of those iraqis are no longer here today hundreds getting blown up everydays there bodies tortured there woman u cant just ignore all that and say Tony Blair has been a good Prime Minister cause to me hes been the worst prime minister in British history
listaband 4 years ago
At least Britain isn't hated as much as the US, we can thank our corrupt government for that.
anthonyo99 4 years ago
Well its a close second.
Gayunderweather 4 years ago
I'll remember Tony Blair as a great Prime Minister of the UK. He was put through a lot of challenges, but I still think he did a good job, and he seems like a nice man, too.
JEMASCOLA 4 years ago
Stop giving this man a hard time. He has never could never do the damage that Thatcher did! You may not like him but did not destroyed British culture as the afore mentioned "person" did. Also, I didnt like the Iraq war, but I didnt like previous wars and wont like future wars to come. Please remember our country when you vote comrades - If you love Britain - KEEP TORIES OUT!
LIL0R000N 4 years ago
In 1997 the Mass Media brainwashed the public into believing that New Labour were some fairytale government. A fantasy was created that under NL we would contribute nothing and receive everything! Tony Blair had the hardest PM job Ever, But he did it! He brought Labour a record consecutive Three terms!! My lord less than 15 years before he came to power the party was on deaths door!
LIL0R000N 4 years ago
tony blair is a dreamer
stinkyuk 4 years ago
Stop censoring my comments just cause I speak the truth about Tony Blair and you can't handle it if ur gonna let all the blair lovers talk then why censor all the anti Blair comments ive written im so sick of this wheres my freesom of expression typical labour what do u expect
listaband 4 years ago
Thats complete rubbish "listaband" I have read a few negative comments on here, they dont censor them at all. My only suggestion is that you said something unsuitable to be posted.
LIL0R000N 4 years ago
As an American, I feel guilty watching this. I feel we have all let Mr. Blair down. He put faith in his alliance with us and became a victim of our corruption. I think he is a great man, and a wonderfully intelligent leader. For those of you so critical, you should be grateful that you have a leader who speaks with intellect and leads from the heart. Our president is an embarrassment to watch. I only hope our administration has not completely alienated our alliances throughout the world.
guavastreet 4 years ago
Blair and Bush are as bad as each other.See today's news about alleged cash for peerages investigations.The people of Britain deserved a much better P.M.than Blair has been.The Labour Party deserved a better leader.
ric55 4 years ago
Blair has been a gr8 PM of this country......Just think back to 1997.............what was it really like!
wwtbdhal 4 years ago
omg, i'm going to miss tony blair so much. sob. love you to bits tone
bubblesthepowerpuffg 4 years ago
TONY BLAIR IS THE BEST PRIME MINISTER IN THE WORLD!!!!!! although he might have made deep mistakes like IRAQ.... but he is still the best British Prime Minister this country has ever had!!!!!
By: Abdullah Mustafa although iam not sure of BROWN bieng a P.M
MustafaLund 4 years ago
tony blair is the greatest thing thats happened to our country in a long while =]
mjd19914 4 years ago