Tony Blair has hinted at a dramatic return to politics
Neil Hall/Reuters Pictures
The former prime minister told Esquire magazine that he was searching for a role which would help his party to reclaim the centre ground of British politics.
"I don't know if there's a role for me. There's a limit to what I want to say about my own position at this moment," he said.
"All I can say is that this is where politics is at. Do I feel strongly about it? Yes, I do. Am I very motivated by that? Yes. Where do I go from here? What exactly do I do? That's an open question."
He also attacked the "ultra-left" Jeremy Corbyn for his belief that "action on the street is as important as action in the parliament."
"One culture is the culture of the Labour Party as a party of government. And that, historically, is why Labour was formed: to win representation in Parliament and ultimately to influence and to be the government of the country," he said.
"The other culture is the ultra-left, which believes that the action on the street is as important as the action in Parliament. That culture has now taken the leadership of the Labour Party. It's a huge problem because they live in a world that is very, very remote from the way that broad mass of people really think," he added.
Blair announced in September that he would close down "the bulk" of his post-political business ventures, which involved associating with some of the most autocratic leaders in the world, including Nursultan Nazarbayev, the dictator of Kazakhstan.
He would face significant challenges if he does decide to return to politics. He was heavily criticised in July's Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war, and 53% of the public say they will "never forgive" him for his role in the country's invasion.
He is also, however, the most successful leader in Labour's history, having led the party to general election victories on three occasions between 1997 and 2005.
- US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- India Inc marks slowest quarterly revenue growth in January-March 2024: Crisil
- Nothing Phone (2a) India-exclusive Blue Edition launched starting at ₹19,999
- SC refuses to plea seeking postponement of CA exams scheduled in May
- 10 exciting weekend getaways from Delhi within 300 km in 2024
- Foreign tourist arrivals in India will cross pre-pandemic level in 2024
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market