Tony Blair says he has no real interest in ‘doing a Cameron’ amid rumours

Sir Tony Blair has dominated out ‘doing a David Cameron‘ and returning to the frontline of British politics as a peer amid hypothesis Keir Starmer may hand him a seat within the House of Lords ought to Labour win the following common election.

A spokesperson for the previous Prime Minister instructed MailOnline this night : ‘It’s not one thing he would take into account. He is completely satisfied doing work along with his Institute, which takes up the overwhelming majority of his time, and informs the controversy on the fitting coverage options for the nation.’

Since retiring from politics, Sir Tony has centered on his work with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, a non-profit aimed toward combating spiritual and political extremism worldwide.

Fellow ex-PM David Cameron in the meantime made a shock return to politics as the brand new Foreign Secretary final month, displacing James Cleverly who has since taken over from Suella Braverman within the Home Office.

Lord Cameron stays a preferred determine overseas, ranked the tenth hottest overseas politician in accordance with YouGov – however is surpassed by Sir Tony in fourth place.

Sir Keir Starmer with former PM Tony Blair (proper) in St James’ Palace, September 10, 2022

UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron attends a NATO overseas ministers assembly at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on November 28

Despite his relative recognition overseas, Tony Blair’s legacy within the UK remains to be marred by the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Some 55 per cent of YouGov respondents mentioned they disliked the previous Prime Minister, whereas 33 per cent favored him and 27 per cent had been impartial on the matter.

The divisive tenure of Tony Blair, who held on to energy from his landslide victory in 1997 till 2010, noticed the previous Prime Minister ranked each the most effective and worst chief of the Labour Party in a 2013 ballot of British adults.

A more moderen ballot by Ipsos echoed the sentiment; 36 per cent of the British public mentioned Sir Tony did a ‘good job’ in 2021 – putting him behind solely Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher – as Prime Minister, however 36 per cent additionally mentioned he did a nasty job – behind Theresa May, David Cameron and Gordon Brown.

Blair stays fashionable amongst youthful folks, having pushed for swathes of society to undergo increased training and develop marketable expertise.

Critics argued it might result in these with low tutorial capacity enterprise unsuitable programs. 

Last 12 months he issued a name for 70 per cent of younger folks to go to school, saying it was key for the UK to have the ability to compete with high-innovation economies. 

Blair additionally campaigned on tackling crime – and Britain did see a fall within the variety of incidents from 16.7mn in 1997 to 10.7mn in 2008.

In 2004, then-Tory chief Michael Howard instructed the then-Prime Minister throughout PMQs that violent crime had risen by 64 per cent since 1998, nevertheless.

On his return to politics, David Cameron has already confronted his fair proportion of challenges as Foreign Secretary. This week he has been concerned in a diplomatic dispute with China over Beijing issuing of a bounty for the return of 5 who fled Hong Kong in 2020.

Simon Cheng, who labored for the UK authorities for 2 years within the British consulate, alleged he was tortured by China after the imposition of harsh safety legal guidelines in 2020.

He fled together with Frances Hui, Joey Siu, Fok Ka-chi and Choi Ming-da after the sweeping nationwide safety legislation was introduced in to quash dissent after large pro-democracy protests.

David Cameron then known as on British officers in Hong Kong, Beijing and London to ‘increase this difficulty as a matter of urgency’.

It was a marked departure from longstanding efforts by Lord Cameron to construct bridges between China and Britain throughout his tenure as Prime Minister – heralded as a ‘golden age’ for Sino-Anglo relations.

Only on Tuesday, Lord Cameron was once more pressed as he stood with the son of democracy campaigner and British citizen Jimmy Lai, 76, who faces trial in Hong Kong for his work as a peaceable pro-democracy supporter.

Mr Lai faces life in jail if convicted by the draconian Hong Kong Court beneath the National Security Law, introduced in in 2020. 

Following the assembly with Lord Cameron, son Sebastien Lai mentioned: ‘I perceive why Lord Cameron was unable to make any fast commitments, however I left the assembly feeling hopeful that the UK will shortly add its voice to requires my Dad’s fast and unconditional launch.  

Tony Blair, is hugged by his spouse Cherie outdoors No. 10 Downing Street in London, shortly after his election win, Friday May 2, 1997

Front row from left, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former Prime Ministers Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and John Major attend the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony on the Cenotaph in London, Sunday, Nov. 12

In late November, bookies reported David Cameron nonetheless confronted 12/1 odds to grow to be the following Tory chief.

Nigel Farage’s odds had been slashed from 40/1 to twenty/1 following an look on I’m a Celebrity.

Kemi Badenoch was MegaDice’s favorite to guide after Rishi Sunak, with Suella Braverman trailing at 6/1 and Boris Johnson at 28/1.

The Sun on Sunday reported feedback from the Tony Blair Institute this night.