Tony Blair Prime Minister. Anthony Blair: biography, interesting facts, political activities

In the family of a lawyer. As a child, he lived in Australia for three years.

He graduated from two colleges - in Edinburgh (at the privileged private high school Fettes College) and Oxford (Oxford St. John's College). He studied law at Oxford. While studying, he joined the Labor Party. After graduating from college, Tony went to Paris, where, in order to “experience life,” he worked as a bartender for a year.

It is known that while studying at school, the future prime minister’s classmate was “Mr. Bean” himself, Rowan Atkinson.

Beginning of political activity

In 1975, after graduating from university, he taught law at Oxford, after which he began working in the law office of Darry Irvine, a close friend and one of the leaders of the Labor Party, John Smith, under whose influence Tony Blair began his political activities. In 1983, he took the newly created seat in Parliament, representing the Sidgefield constituency, a mining region in the north. Actively involved in the party struggle, the future prime minister was engaged in journalism and in 1987-1988 wrote his own column in The Times. His career quickly took off, and in 1992 Blair was elected to the party's executive committee.

At the head of the party

An active and ambitious politician, Blair quickly moved up the steps of the party hierarchy. On July 21, 1994, Tony Blair, after 11 years of parliamentary activity, becomes the youngest leader of the Labor Party in its entire history. He was only 41 years old then.

Blair became an ideal political leader for the Labor Party, largely deciding the outcome of the 1997 parliamentary elections in favor of his party.

Premiership

Blair was elected with an overwhelming advantage, a victory the British Social Democrats had not seen for a century. As Prime Minister of Great Britain, following the 1997 elections, he replaced the conservative John Major, thus interrupting the 18-year period of rule of the Tory party.

Since May 2, 1997 - Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was re-elected in the elections of 2001 and 2005.

On May 10, 2007, Tony Blair announced that on June 27 he would submit his resignation from the post of Prime Minister to the Queen. Blair's predetermined successor was Scotsman Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Known as the most loyal prime minister to the United States

Social policy

New Labour's program of social change was aimed at ensuring and maintaining social justice and stability in British society. The theoretical basis for the modernization of the country was the concept of the “Third Way”, developed by Tony Blair’s chief adviser Anthony Giddens. The “third way,” according to Blair, is a search for an alternative, a compromise and a combination of two elements: a market economy and universal social justice, combined with increased attention to the human factor.

One of the main vectors in the social policy of the “New Labour” was the gender program, which was based on the need for equality in society, which would contribute to sustainable democratic development. Labor focused its attention on the problem of women's employment and the problem of gender inequality in the labor market, which is most manifested in the wage gap between men and women (in 1997, women's hourly earnings amounted to 80.2% of men's hourly earnings, and in 2004 . they rose to 82%).

In 1997, following the signing of the EU Social Charter, the UK announced new directions in social policy. Thus, British workers received the right to three weeks of paid leave, and since 1999 - four weeks; it was decided that the duration of overtime work should henceforth not exceed 8 hours.

In 2003, the government created the position of Minister for Children, Youth and Families with a wide range of powers. As a result, local authorities were obliged to provide the necessary assistance to families with children, especially disadvantaged ones. In March 2004, the Children's Bill was adopted, which meant ensuring a decent standard of living for children, as well as measures to provide them with sufficient assistance. Moreover, child benefits for low-income families were increased (in 2004, benefits for the first child were £16.50 per week, for each subsequent child - £11.05) and £6 billion were allocated. Art. to combat child poverty. Also, for children living in the poorest areas of Great Britain, the “Sure Start” program was developed, which included the creation of nurseries, teachers visiting poor families with small children, and informing parents on issues of child education.

Anthony Charles Linton Blair was born on May 6, 1953 in Edinburgh, Scotland, into the family of a lawyer, and graduated from two colleges - Edinburgh and Oxford (St. John's College, Oxford). As a child, he lived in Australia for three years.

He was educated at the privileged private secondary school Fettes College in Edinburgh, then at St. John's College, Oxford University. Legal specialist. While studying, he joined the Labor Party. After graduating from college, Tony went to Paris, where, in order to “experience life,” he worked as a bartender for a year.

In 1975, after graduating from university, he taught law at Oxford, after which he began working in the law office of Darry Irvine, a close friend and one of the leaders of the Labor Party, John Smith, under whose influence Tony Blair began his political activities.

In 1983, he took the newly created seat in Parliament, representing the Sidgefield constituency, a mining region in the north. Actively involved in the party struggle, the future prime minister was engaged in journalism and in 1987-1988 wrote his own column in The Times. His career quickly took off, and in 1992 Blair was elected to the party's executive committee.

An active and ambitious politician, Blair found himself in the endless battles and intrigues of the sophisticated political elite of Foggy Albion. He quickly walked up the steps of the party hierarchy. On July 21, 1994, Tony Blair, after 11 years of parliamentary activity, becomes the youngest leader of the Labor Party in its entire history. He was only 41 years old then.

Labor had been in opposition for 18 years by that time. Blair is a politician of a new wave and new views on how Great Britain should enter the new millennium. He became an ideal political leader for the Labor Party, largely deciding the outcome of the 1997 parliamentary elections in favor of his party.

Blair was elected with an overwhelming advantage, a victory the British Social Democrats had not seen for a century.

Best of the day

Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, into the family of a lawyer. As a child, he lived in Australia for three years.

He graduated from two colleges - in Edinburgh (at the privileged private high school Fettes College) and Oxford (Oxford St. John's College). He studied law at Oxford. While studying, he joined the Labor Party. After graduating from college, Tony went to Paris, where, in order to “experience life,” he worked as a bartender for a year.

It is known that while studying at school, the future prime minister’s classmate was “Mr. Bean” himself, Rowan Atkinson.

Beginning of political activity

In 1975, after graduating from university, he taught law at Oxford, after which he began working in the law office of Darry Irvine, a close friend and one of the leaders of the Labor Party, John Smith, under whose influence Tony Blair began his political activities. In 1983, he took the newly created seat in Parliament, representing the Sidgefield constituency, a mining region in the north. Actively involved in the party struggle, the future prime minister was engaged in journalism and in 1987-1988 wrote his own column in The Times. His career quickly took off, and in 1992 Blair was elected to the party's executive committee.

At the head of the party

An active and ambitious politician, Blair quickly moved up the steps of the party hierarchy. On July 21, 1994, Tony Blair, after 11 years of parliamentary activity, becomes the youngest leader of the Labor Party in its entire history. He was only 41 years old then.

Blair became an ideal political leader for the Labor Party, largely deciding the outcome of the 1997 parliamentary elections in favor of his party.

Premiership

Blair was elected with an overwhelming advantage, a victory the British Social Democrats had not seen for a century. As Prime Minister of Great Britain following the 1997 elections, he replaced the conservative John Major, thus interrupting the 18-year period of rule of the Tory party.

Since May 2, 1997 - Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was re-elected in the elections of 2001 and 2005.

On May 10, 2007, Tony Blair announced that on June 27 he would submit his resignation from the post of Prime Minister to the Queen. Blair's predetermined successor was Scotsman Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Known as the most loyal prime minister to the United States

Social policy

New Labour's program of social change was aimed at ensuring and maintaining social justice and stability in British society. The theoretical basis for the modernization of the country was the concept of the “Third Way”, developed by Tony Blair’s chief adviser Anthony Giddens. The “third way,” according to Blair, is a search for an alternative, a compromise and a combination of two elements: a market economy and universal social justice, combined with increased attention to the human factor.

One of the main vectors in the social policy of the “New Labour” was the gender program, which was based on the need for equality in society, which would contribute to sustainable democratic development. Labor focused its attention on the problem of women's employment and the problem of gender inequality in the labor market, which is most manifested in the wage gap between men and women (in 1997, women's hourly earnings amounted to 80.2% of men's hourly earnings, and in 2004 . they rose to 82%).

In 1997, following the signing of the EU Social Charter, the UK announced new directions in social policy. Thus, British workers received the right to three weeks of paid leave, and since 1999 - four weeks; it was decided that the duration of overtime work should henceforth not exceed 8 hours.

In 2003, the government created the position of Minister for Children, Youth and Families with a wide range of powers. As a result, local authorities were obliged to provide the necessary assistance to families with children, especially disadvantaged ones. In March 2004, the Children's Bill was adopted, which meant ensuring a decent standard of living for children, as well as measures to provide them with sufficient assistance. Moreover, child benefits for low-income families were increased (in 2004, benefits for the first child were £16.50 per week, for each subsequent child - £11.05) and £6 billion were allocated. Art. to combat child poverty. Also, for children living in the poorest areas of Great Britain, the “Sure Start” program was developed, which included the creation of nurseries, teachers visiting poor families with small children, and informing parents on issues of child education.

In 1998, Blair developed a new program for the development of education. A review of school curricula was announced, with an emphasis on children's individual abilities and a focus on their future professional activities. The education reform was accompanied by the introduction of an additional fee of 1 thousand pounds at universities in Wales and England. Art. (“mentoring fee”); Scotland has abandoned this innovation. In 2000, it was decided to set a course for each school to have a certain specialization, in other words, its own “ethos”. In addition, Great Britain was divided into 25 regional educational action areas and 750 thousand pounds were allocated for each. Art.

Sierra Leone

In 2000, Tony Blair sent 1,500 British troops to Sierra Leone to defend the country's capital, Freetown, from the rebel army of the Revolutionary United Front.

On May 30, 2007, Tony Blair was solemnly proclaimed the Supreme Leader of Sierra Leone. The new title formally gives Tony Blair the right to sit in the parliament of Sierra Leone. Thus, as The Daily Telegraph reports, the country's authorities noted his role in ending the civil war.

After resignation

On the day of his resignation, June 27, 2007, he was appointed Quartet special peace envoy for the Middle East settlement.

In January 2008, he was appointed senior advisor and member of the International Affairs Council of JPMorgan Chase. Blair also works as an advisor to the financial group Zurich Financial.

In January 2010, he began working for the French group of companies LVMH, where he will hold the position of personal advisor to the owner of the French group, Bernard Arnault.

In October 2011, it was announced that Tony Blair would lead a group of economic advisers to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Family

They met in the late 1970s in Paris. They have three sons (Ewan, Nicky and Leo) and a daughter, Catherine. The last child, Leo, was born on May 20, 2000.

Awards

• Presidential Medal of Freedom (USA, January 2009)

1. Was a classmate of famous actor Rowan Atkinson

In Edinburgh (Scotland).

Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Oxford University.
According to the recollections of fellow students, Blair the student was a rebel and a lover of rock and roll, played and sang in the rock band Ugly Rumors, which mainly performed cover versions of The Rolling Stones songs.

In 1976, he joined the bar and specialized in labor and commercial law. At the same time, he began to take an active part in the activities of the Labor Party.

In the 1983 general election, Blair was elected to the House of Commons from the constituency of Sedgefield in County Durham.

In the 1980s, he held various positions in the shadow cabinet and became a member of the party's national executive committee. In 1992, the new Labor leader John Smith appointed Blair to the post of Home Secretary in the shadow cabinet, and after Smith's death in 1994 Blair led the Labor Party.

In 1997, the Labor Party won the general parliamentary elections, and Blair became Prime Minister of Great Britain on 2 May 1997.

In 1997, the Financial Times named him Person of the Year for his ability to “make political weather”.

In January 1999, Tony Blair was awarded the international Charlemagne Prize for his most active participation in the Ulster settlement negotiations.

In June 2003, Tony Blair was awarded one of the most prestigious American awards - the US Congressional Gold Medal. Blair was honored for his "outstanding and lasting contribution to the security of all freedom-loving nations."

Former British Prime Minister (1997-2007)

Prime Minister of Great Britain (1997-2007), the country's youngest prime minister in the last 200 years. Member of the House of Commons (1983-2007), leader of the Labor Party (1994-2007), founder of the ideas of the so-called “New Labour”. He pursued a policy of decentralizing government power, but began to lose popularity after Great Britain took part in the Afghan and Iraqi campaigns. On June 27, 2007, he left the post of prime minister, giving way to the new Labor leader Gordon Brown. On the day of his resignation, Blair was appointed special representative of the Middle East Quartet (Russia, EU, USA, UN). Later, in January 2008, he became a senior advisor to the American bank JPMorgan Chase.

Anthony Charles Linton Blair was born in 1953 in Edinburgh into the family of a university law teacher. He spent his childhood and youth in England and Australia. He studied at Fettes College in Edinburgh and then studied law at Oxford University. After graduation, he taught at Oxford, and in 1976 he joined the bar, specializing in labor and commercial law. At the same time, he began to take an active part in the activities of the Labor Party.

In 1983 he was elected to the House of Commons of the British Parliament. He joined the right-wing Laborites, supporters of party reform. In the 1980s, he held various positions in the shadow cabinet and became a member of the party's national executive committee. In 1992, the new Labor leader, John Smith, appointed Blair to the post of shadow home secretary, and after Smith's death in 1994, Blair took over the leadership of the party.

Blair intensively carried out party reform: he sought to make the party's positions more centrist and more attractive to voters, to reduce the role of traditional ties with trade unions, for which he received the nickname of the godfather of “New Labour”.

In 1997, the Labor Party won a landslide victory in the general parliamentary elections, and Blair took over as prime minister. The Blair government pursued policies to decentralize government power, resolve the conflict in Northern Ireland, reform the social sector and improve relations with the European Union.

In 1999, Great Britain took part in the Yugoslav conflict (Blair supported the concept of “humanitarian intervention” put forward by the United States).

In 2001, the Labor Party again won a majority in the parliamentary elections. Blair's second term as prime minister was marked by the "war on terror" launched by the United States. The UK took part in military operations in Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. This foreign policy course of the Blair government caused discontent in the Labor Party and in the country as a whole.

In 2003, a scandal erupted over a BBC News report on pre-war intelligence fraud and the suicide of biological weapons expert David Kelly. Although in January 2004 an independent commission cleared Blair of charges of fraud and pressure on Kelly, criticism of the prime minister and the government did not subside. Blair himself continued to insist on the correctness of his chosen foreign policy course.

In 2005, Blair led Labor to victory in parliamentary elections for the third time in a row, but the party's number of seats in parliament decreased significantly compared to previous elections. The loss of popularity of the prime minister and his party was facilitated by the publication of new materials about the period of preparation for the war with Iraq. Labor lost the municipal elections in May 2006. National support for Blair was at an all-time low, and there was a growing anti-Prime Minister movement within the party. At the same time, Blair faced a new wave of criticism in connection with British policy in Iraq.

In May 2006, under pressure from criticism, Blair announced that he planned to resign in the summer of 2007. Blair's most likely successor was considered to be his longtime ally Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who, according to observers, almost single-handedly directed the country's economic policy during Blair's premiership. On 16 November 2006, the Prime Minister officially named Brown as his successor.

In March 2006, a huge scandal began surrounding Labour's 2005 election campaign: it is known as "loans for peerage". It turned out that some of the party's sponsors were offered honorary titles in exchange for large cash loans. On December 14, 2006, the Prime Minister gave evidence to the investigation in this case.

On May 10, 2007, Blair made a long-awaited announcement about the date of his resignation: he announced that he would leave the post of prime minister on June 27 of the same year. On June 24, internal elections were held in the Labor Party, as a result of which Brown became leader of the Labor Party. On June 27, Blair officially resigned as head of government, handing it over to Brown.

On the same day, the four parties involved in the Middle East settlement process (the "Middle East Quartet" - Russia, the EU, the USA and the UN) approved Blair as their special representative in the region. In this regard, the ex-prime minister left his seat in the House of Commons. In January 2008, Blair was also appointed senior advisor and member of the international affairs council of the major American bank JPMorgan Chase.

Blair became the record holder among Labor prime ministers for the longest tenure. He was the youngest leader of the Labor Party in history and the youngest Prime Minister of Great Britain in almost 200 years. Labour's only leader, Blair led the party to three consecutive general election victories. On the other hand, Blair's opponents believe that his policies led to a split within the party and in society as a whole.