A.Journey.-.My.Political.Life.by.Tony.Blair.pdf

ABOUT THIS BOOK

TONY BLAIR is the politician who defines our times. His emergence as

Labour leader in 1994 marked a seismic shift in British politics. Within a few

short years, he had transformed his party and rallied the country behind him,

becoming prime minister in 1997 with the biggest victory in Labour’s history,

and bringing to an end eighteen years of Conservative government. He took

Labour to a historic three terms in office, as the dominant political figure of the

last two decades.

A JOURNEY is Tony Blair’s first-hand account of his years in office and

beyond. Here he describes for the first time his role in shaping our recent

history, from the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death to the war on terror. He

reveals the leadership decisions that were necessary to reinvent his party, the

relationships with colleagues such as Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson, the

gruelling negotiations for peace in Northern Ireland, the battles over education

and health, the implementation of the biggest reforms to public services since

1945, and his relationships with leaders on the world stage, from Mandela and

Clinton to Putin and Bush. He analyses the belief in ethical intervention that led

to his decisions to go to war, in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and, most

controversially of all, in Iraq.

A JOURNEY is a book about the nature and uses of political power. In

frank, unflinching, often wry detail, Tony Blair charts the ups and downs of his

career to provide insight into the man, as well as the politician and statesman.

He explores the challenges of leadership, and explains why he took on public

opinion to stand up for what he believed in. He also looks forwards, to

emerging power relationships and economies, and to Britain’s changing role,

addressing the vital issues and complexities of our global world.

Few British prime ministers have shaped the nation’s course as

profoundly as Tony Blair, and his achievements and his legacy will be debated

for years to come. Amid the millions of words written about him, this book is

unique: his own journey, in his own words.

Random House

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced,

transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any

way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed

under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly

permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of

this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's exclusive

rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Epub ISBN: 9781409060956

Version 1.0

www.randomhouse.co.uk

Published by Hutchinson 2010

2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

Tony Blair has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and

Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work

This book is a work of non-fiction based on the life, experiences and

recollections of the author

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade

or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the

publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in

which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition,

being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

First published in Great Britain in 2010 by

Hutchinson

20 Vauxhall Bridge Road

London SW1 2SA

www.rbooks.co.uk

Addresses for companies within The Random House Group Limited can

be found at: www.randomhouse.co.uk/offices.htm

The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009

A CIP catalogue record for this book

is available from the British Library

To Cherie, Euan, Nicholas, Kathryn and Leo and my wider family who have

shared the journey with me.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

When it was first suggested that I write this book, Bob Barnett, lawyer,

friend and negotiator extraordinaire, expertly steered the negotiations that

brought me to Random House. It has been a happy partnership ever since. I

would like in particular to thank Gail Rebuck, a long-time friend and also, I can

now add with pride, my publisher. Gail’s passion for this project, and her faith

that she would one day receive a completed manuscript, despite indications to

the contrary, never wavered.

I would like to pay tribute to the calm professionalism of her team at

Random House. My foremost editorial thanks go to Caroline Gascoigne and

David Milner, who have lived with this book almost as long as I have and who

have been wonderful throughout. Thanks are also due to Susan Sandon,

Charlotte Bush and Claire Round; John Swannell for the photo-shoot that

produced the front cover; Richard Ogle for the cover design; Fiona Greenway

for the picture research; and the rest of the dedicated production team.

In the USA, Sonny Mehta and Jonathan Segal of Knopf have been

enthusiasts for this project from the start – I have found their guidance and

advice to be invaluable.

Among my own team it would have been impossible without Catherine

Rimmer and Victoria Gould standing over me as I wrote out each word on

hundreds of notepads; refusing all phone calls, meetings and other welcome

distractions from the creative process. As the publisher’s deadline approached,

they even took my BlackBerry away from me. My researcher, Anthony

Measures, provided facts and research material and tirelessly trawled through

thousands of documents. I am grateful to my band of armchair book critics for

their insights and editorial advice: Andrew Adonis, David Bradshaw, Alastair

Campbell, Matthew Doyle, Peter Hyman, Philip Gould and Jonathan Powell.

There are countless people from my life in politics without whom this

journey would never have begun: my agent in Sedgefield John Burton; his wife

Lily and the members of the Sedgefield Labour Party, who put their faith in me

right back at the beginning and whose loyalty has been steadfast ever since. I

owe a huge debt of gratitude to my staff in the early years as Leader of the

Opposition and then those in Downing Street; you could never wish for a more

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