Blair To Resign June 27
British Prime Minister Tony Blair will tender his resignation to the Queen on June 27th. He announced his decision today, ending months of speculation and backroom maneuvering.
Tony Blair today announced he was stepping down after 10 years as prime minister and 13 as Labour leader.
The prime minister told a crowd of supporters at Trimdon Labour club he would stand down as PM on June 27. He will tender his resignation to the Queen on that day.
In an emotional 17-minute speech, he said the judgment on his 10-year administration was "for you, the people, to make". Mr Blair paid special tribute to his wife and children "who never let me forget my failings".
But he concluded: "Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right. I may have been wrong - that's your call. But I did what I thought was right for our country.
"This country is a blessed country. The British are special. The world knows it, we know it, this is the greatest country on earth."
He dealt directly with Iraq, many people's perception as his ultimate legacy, saying: "The blowback since … has been fierce, unrelenting and costly."
But he insisted: "The terrorists will never give up if we give up."
Tony Blair has been a strong ally in the war on terror. He's also been hounded mercilessly by the British left, much as the Bush administration has. After the Labor party's showing in the elections in Scotland, it is not at all clear whether the next PM will be from that party at this point.
Politics, World news | Gaius Thursday, 10 May , 2007
By WillS, Thursday, 10 May , 2007 @ 7:00 am
“it is not at all clear whether the next PM will be from that party at this point.”
You mis-understand the electoral system here. Those were elections for local and regional assemblies and councils and have no effect on national government in London. The next PM will be Gordon Brown, there’s no doubt about that at all.
Incidentally, of the two (Blair and Brown) Brown is the Atlanticist, Blair the European. There’s nothing for the US to worry about with regards to the next PM at all (other than a change in tone to placate the left of his own party).
By Gaius, Thursday, 10 May , 2007 @ 7:10 am
Are there going to be new national elections? I thought I had seen that in another article.