the blair legacy

Tony Blair's impact on British, European and world politics began in an aura of freshness and optimism and is ending in bitter controversy – over policy failure, allegations of corruption, and above all the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. How will history judge him?
Wednesday 27th June

Tony Blair : farewell letters

Brian Brivati, Camilla Toulmin, Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie, Mariano Aguirre, Patrice de Beer, and Godfrey Hodgson, 27 June 2007

Britain's prime minister is leaving the stage after ten years. openDemocracy writers say goodbye

Tuesday 26th June

Gordon Brown: an intellectual without an intelligentsia

Anthony Barnett, 26 June 2007
He is a brilliant Scot who thinks globally - but a black hole surrounds Britain's new leader
Monday 5th March

London and Washington: Tony Blair's special relationship

Godfrey Hodgson, 5 March 2007
The British prime minister's peculiar attitude to America’s leaders weighs heavily on his domestic legacy, says Godfrey Hodgson.
Tuesday 20th February

Tony Blair and centralisation

Tony Curzon Price, 20 February 2007

Article summary

Turnout rates in English local elections are critically low.

They are not only the lowest in Europe, by a 12% margin, but also are falling further - by five percentage points since 1995.

This is a serious problem, because disaffection with politics eventually leads to bad policy, to the withering of checks and balances, and to the disappearance of one of the most important foundations of our joint identities - the choices that we make together to give shape to our lives.

Wednesday 10th January

Religion in Britain in the Blair era

Tina Beattie, 10 January 2007
The increasing presence of faith issues in public life during Tony Blair's time in office is reflected in the messianic strain of his personal-political vision, says Tina Beattie.
Monday 8th January

The Blair audit: war, human rights, liberalism

Brian Brivati, 8 January 2007
The true stature of Britain's prime minister may become apparent only after he leaves office, says Brian Brivati.
Thursday 21st December

Blair's foreign-policy legacy

Felix Blake, 21 December 2006
Blair's brave vision of humanitarian intervention, born in Sierra Leone and Kosovo, died in Iraq. The tragedy is the waste of promise, says Felix Blake.
Wednesday 20th December

Tony Blair and the language of politics

Norman Fairclough, 20 December 2006
The British prime minister's self-consciously new vocabulary has a complex relationship to political reality, says Norman Fairclough.
Monday 18th December

Tony Blair's genius

Roger Scruton, 18 December 2006
The British prime minister has replaced real politics with a carefully crafted fiction, says Roger Scruton.
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