Is Tony Blair Cameron's special advisor?
Discussion
On how to be a good PM.
The Guardian said:
Tony Blair and David Cameron are forging a "special relationship" as they discuss a range of matters, including public service reform and coping with the challenges of being prime minister, according to reports.
The former New Labour prime minister has visited Chequers and has spoken to the Conservative prime minister at least seven times since Cameron took office.
Blair visited Cameron's country residence last July, the same month as the phone-hacking scandal erupted, according to the Daily Mail. Talks between Cameron and Blair, who is special envoy for the Quartet on the Middle East (the UN, US, EU and Russia) is believed to have widened to include other subjects, such as public service reform and Whitehall. They are also believed to have discussed the euro crisis and the economy.
A "senior source" told the Daily Mail that Blair, who served as premier for a decade before standing down two years into the Labour government's third term, has also been advising Cameron on how to cope with the gruelling task of bring prime minister.
"They have a lot to talk about. It is quite a special relationship between one prime minister and another. Who else knows what you're going through? They ostensibly talk about the Middle East but when you've got him on the phone, it is natural to talk politics."
Cameron raised eyebrows in 2005 when he claimed he was the "heir to Blair".
The Times has reported on Tuesday the strength of admiration for Blair that still exists in Downing Street. "His influence is very firmly felt. He's like the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo – gone but still greatly admired," a senior Tory told Times columnist Rachel Sylvester.
Blair has also talked with other senior ministers about public service as well as with Steve Hilton, Cameron's longstanding adviser who left earlier this month.
Cameron's policy unit has also been consulting Matthew Taylor and Geoff Mulgan, two former heads of Blair's Downing Street policy unit, according to reports.
The reports are likely to infuriate party tribalists on both sides of the fence. Some Conservative backbenchers already feel Cameron spends too much time listening to the Liberal Democrats, without adding a former Labour premier to the mix, while Labour supporters are likely to feel angered at any impression that Blair is helping the opposition.
A Downing Street spokesman said last night that he was unable to confirm the exact number of conversations. But he told the Daily Mail: "It's fair to say the prime minister has spoken to Tony Blair several times on foreign policy issues. It's not unusual for prime ministers to talk to former prime ministers, particularly ones with significant international roles."
Lord Adonis, the Labour peer who set up the schools academy programme and who is close to Blair, made an undisclosed visit to Downing Street in the past few days. The peer, who accepted a job assisting Labour's policy review a fortnight ago, said his visit was to discuss high-speed rail, "a great cross-party project" and he had urged Cameron to legislate for it as soon as possible.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/30/blair-cameron-forging-special-relationship?newsfeed=trueThe former New Labour prime minister has visited Chequers and has spoken to the Conservative prime minister at least seven times since Cameron took office.
Blair visited Cameron's country residence last July, the same month as the phone-hacking scandal erupted, according to the Daily Mail. Talks between Cameron and Blair, who is special envoy for the Quartet on the Middle East (the UN, US, EU and Russia) is believed to have widened to include other subjects, such as public service reform and Whitehall. They are also believed to have discussed the euro crisis and the economy.
A "senior source" told the Daily Mail that Blair, who served as premier for a decade before standing down two years into the Labour government's third term, has also been advising Cameron on how to cope with the gruelling task of bring prime minister.
"They have a lot to talk about. It is quite a special relationship between one prime minister and another. Who else knows what you're going through? They ostensibly talk about the Middle East but when you've got him on the phone, it is natural to talk politics."
Cameron raised eyebrows in 2005 when he claimed he was the "heir to Blair".
The Times has reported on Tuesday the strength of admiration for Blair that still exists in Downing Street. "His influence is very firmly felt. He's like the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo – gone but still greatly admired," a senior Tory told Times columnist Rachel Sylvester.
Blair has also talked with other senior ministers about public service as well as with Steve Hilton, Cameron's longstanding adviser who left earlier this month.
Cameron's policy unit has also been consulting Matthew Taylor and Geoff Mulgan, two former heads of Blair's Downing Street policy unit, according to reports.
The reports are likely to infuriate party tribalists on both sides of the fence. Some Conservative backbenchers already feel Cameron spends too much time listening to the Liberal Democrats, without adding a former Labour premier to the mix, while Labour supporters are likely to feel angered at any impression that Blair is helping the opposition.
A Downing Street spokesman said last night that he was unable to confirm the exact number of conversations. But he told the Daily Mail: "It's fair to say the prime minister has spoken to Tony Blair several times on foreign policy issues. It's not unusual for prime ministers to talk to former prime ministers, particularly ones with significant international roles."
Lord Adonis, the Labour peer who set up the schools academy programme and who is close to Blair, made an undisclosed visit to Downing Street in the past few days. The peer, who accepted a job assisting Labour's policy review a fortnight ago, said his visit was to discuss high-speed rail, "a great cross-party project" and he had urged Cameron to legislate for it as soon as possible.
Edited by colonel c on Wednesday 30th May 14:23
martin84 said:
Well Blair showed this week at Leveson that he's got media awareness and political presentation skills that David Cameron could only dream of, which is surprising, given Cameron's career in PR.
Blair trained as a barrister so if anything his skills of presentation ought to be more acute than Cameron's.He is very persuasive, I'll give him that.
rohrl said:
Blair trained as a barrister so if anything his skills of presentation ought to be more acute than Cameron's.
He is very persuasive, I'll give him that.
I'll unashamedly say again I admire Tony Blair's political nouse. He really is brilliant at it. He can answer a question, make you feel informed but when you read back over it you discover he didn't tell you anything. He's mostly unflappable, where as the 'muttering idiot' moment last week showed you can make Cameron bite quite easily.He is very persuasive, I'll give him that.
Its true Blair wasn't particularly challenged by Leveson or Robert J but they both probably knew they wouldn't get much out of him. I feel it showed the difference between Cameron and Blair in microcosm, especially in the pasty tax u-turn week because Blair's Leveson appearence was supposed to be newsworthy and it wasnt, it was boring. The VAT changes weren't supposed to be newsworthy but Cameron lengthened the news cycle with his Leeds station story, amateur hour.
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff