British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Tony Blair: biography. The image of Tony Blair in fiction and cinema

In Edinburgh (Scotland).

Graduated from Oxford University School of Law.
According to fellow students, Blair, a student, was a rebel and a lover of rock and roll, played and sang in the rock band Ugly Rumors, which mainly performed cover versions of The Rolling Stones songs.

In 1976 he joined the bar, specialized in labor and commercial law. At the same time, he began to take an active part in the activities of the Labor Party.

In 1983 on general elections Blair was elected to the House of Commons from Sedgefield in County Durham.

In the 1980s, he held various positions in the shadow cabinet of ministers, became a member of the national executive committee of the party. In 1992, the new Labor leader John Smith appointed Blair to the post of Shadow Cabinet Home Secretary, and after Smith's death in 1994, Blair took over the leadership of the Labor Party.

In 1997, the Labor Party won the general parliamentary election and Blair became British Prime Minister on 2 May 1997.

In 1997, the Financial Times named him Man of the Year for his ability to "make political weather".

In January 1999, Tony Blair was awarded the Charlemagne International Prize for his most active participation in the Ulster settlement negotiations.

In June 2003, Tony Blair was awarded one of the most prestigious American awards - Golden medal US congress. Blair is honored for his "outstanding and enduring contribution to the security of all freedom-loving nations."

Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh, Scotland into a lawyer's family. As a child, he lived in Australia for three years.

He graduated from two colleges - in Edinburgh (at the privileged private high school Fettes College) and Oxford (St. John's Oxford College). He studied law at Oxford. During his studies, he joined the Labor Party. After graduating from college, Tony went to Paris, where, for the sake of "knowledge of life", he worked for a year as a bartender.

It is known that while studying at school, the classmate of the future prime minister was "Mr. Bean" Rowan Atkinson himself.

Start of political activity

In 1975, after graduating from university, he taught law at Oxford, after which he began working at the law office of Darry Irwin, a close friend, one of the leaders of the Labor Party, John Smith, under whose influence Tony Blair began political activity. In 1983 he took his newly created seat in Parliament representing Sidgefield, a mining region to the north. Actively involved in the party struggle, the future prime minister was engaged in journalism and in 1987-1988 led his own column in The Times. Career quickly went up the hill, and in 1992 Blair was elected to the party's executive committee.

At the head of the party

An active and ambitious politician, Blair moved quickly through the ranks of the party hierarchy. July 21, 1994 Tony Blair, after 11 years of parliamentary activity, becomes the youngest leader of the Labor Party in its history. Then he was only 41 years old.

Blair became the ideal political leader for the Labor Party, largely deciding the outcome of the 1997 parliamentary elections in favor of his party.

Premiership

Blair was elected by a landslide, a victory the British Social Democrats had not seen in a century. As Prime Minister of Great Britain, following the results of the 1997 elections, he replaced the conservative John Major, thus interrupting the 18-year period of rule of the Tory party.

Since May 2, 1997 - Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was re-elected in the elections of 2001 and 2005.

On May 10, 2007, Tony Blair announced that on June 27 he would submit his resignation to the Queen as Prime Minister. Blair's predetermined successor was the Scottish Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown.

Known as the most loyal prime minister to the United States

Social politics

The New Labour's social transformation program was aimed at ensuring and maintaining social justice and the stability of British society. Theoretical basis modernization of the country was the concept of "Third way" ("Third way"), developed by Tony Blair's chief adviser Anthony Giddens. The "third way", according to Blair, is the search for an alternative, a compromise and a combination of two elements: a market economy and universal social justice, combined with increased attention to the human factor.

One of the main vectors in the social policy of the "new Laborites" was the gender program, which was based on the need for equality in society, which would contribute to sustainable democratic development. The Laborites focused their attention on the problem of female employment and the problem of gender inequality in the labor market, which is most evident in the gap in wages between the male and female population (in 1997, the hourly earnings of women accounted for 80.2% of the hourly earnings of men, and in 2004 they rose to 82%).

In 1997, after the signing of the EU Social Charter, the UK announced new directions in social policy. Thus, British workers received the right to three weeks' paid leave, and since 1999 - four weeks; It was decided that the duration of overtime work from now on should not exceed 8 hours.

In 2003, the government created the post of Minister for Children, Youth and Families with a wide range of powers. As a result, local governments were required to provide needed help families with children, especially disadvantaged ones. In March 2004, the Children's Bill was adopted, which meant ensuring a decent standard of living for children, as well as measures to provide them with sufficient assistance. Moreover, child allowances for families with low income(in 2004, benefits for the first child were £16.50 per week, for each subsequent child - £11.05) and allocated 6 billion pounds. Art. to combat child poverty. Also, for children living in the poorest areas of the UK, the Sure Start program was developed, which involved the creation of a nursery, visits by teachers to poor families with small children, and informing parents on child education.

In 1998 Blair developed new program development of education. A revision has been announced school programs focusing on the individual abilities of children and focusing on their future professional activity. The educational reform was accompanied by the introduction of an additional fee of 1 thousand pounds in the universities of Wales and England. Art. (“mentoring fee”); Scotland has abandoned this innovation. In 2000, it was decided to set a course for each school to have a certain specialization, in other words, its own "ethos". In addition, the UK was divided into 25 regional educational action areas (Education action areas) and for each was allocated 750 thousand pounds. Art.

Sierra Leone

In 2000, Tony Blair sent 1,500 British troops to Sierra Leone to take over the defense of the country's capital, Freetown, from rebel army"United Revolutionary Front".

On May 30, 2007, Tony Blair was solemnly proclaimed Paramount Chief of Sierra Leone. The new title formally gives Tony Blair the right to sit in the Parliament of Sierra Leone. Thus, according to The Daily Telegraph, the country's authorities noted his role in stopping civil war.

After resignation

On the day of his resignation, June 27, 2007, he was appointed Quartet's special envoy for peace in the Middle East.

In January 2008, he was appointed Senior Advisor and Member of the International Affairs Council at JPMorgan Chase. Blair also works as an advisor to the financial group Zurich Financial.

Since January 2010, he has been working for the French group of companies LVMH, where he will hold the position of personal adviser to the owner of the French group, Bernard Arnault.

In October 2011, it was announced that Tony Blair would lead a group of advisers on economic issues to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Family

They met in the late 1970s in Paris. They have three sons (Ewen, Nicky and Leo) and a daughter, Katherine. The last child - Leo - was born on May 20, 2000.

Awards

• Presidential Medal of Freedom (USA, January 2009)

1. Was a classmate of famous actor Rowan Atkinson

Anthony Charles Linton "Tony" Blair(born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. From 1994 to 2007 he was also leader of the Labor Party, and from 1983 to 2007 MP for the constituency of Sidgefield. When Blair withdrew his powers as prime minister and deputy, he was appointed spokesman "Middle East Quartet"– UN, EU, USA and Russia, and in January 2008 he began working as a senior adviser in an American bank JPMorgan Chase.

Blair was elected leader of the Labor Party in July 1994 following the sudden death of his predecessor. John Smith. Under Blair's leadership, the party abandoned policies it had followed for decades and won a resounding victory in the 1997 elections.

Blair was the longest-serving Labor Prime Minister and the only party leader to lead his party through three consecutive election victories.

Tony Blair was born in the Scottish city of Edinburgh in the family of a lawyer. As a child, he lived in Australia for three years.

From 1961 to 1966 he attended a private chorister school at Durham Cathedral, along with Rowan Atkinson, the future actor and performer of the role of Mr. Bean. Then Tony Blair entered the privileged private school Fettes College in Edinburgh. In Fettes, Tony did not differ in exemplary behavior, he hated the official uniform, which was mandatory for all students, imitating Mick Jagger walked in jeans and grew long hair. The teachers constantly complained about him because he interfered with the classes.

In 1971-72 Tony Blair went to London to try his hand at rock music before studying law at St. John's College, Oxford University. As a student, Tony Blair was the vocalist in the band Ugly Rumours. In 1975 he received a diploma of the second degree of Bachelor of Laws.

After graduating from Oxford, Tony Blair joined the Labor Party. In 1976 he became a member of Lincoln's Inn as an apprentice barrister. In the summer of 1976, Tony went to France and worked in a hotel bar in Paris.

Start of political activity

In 1975, after graduating from university, he taught law at Oxford, after which he began working in the law office of Darry Irwin, a close friend, one of the leaders of the Labor Party, John Smith, under whose influence Tony Blair began political activity. In 1983, he took his newly created seat in Parliament, representing Sidgefield, a mining region to the north. Actively involved in the party struggle, the future prime minister was engaged in journalism and in 1987-1988 led his own column in The Times. Career quickly went up the hill, and in 1992 Blair was elected to the party's executive committee.

At the head of the party

An active and ambitious politician, Blair moved quickly through the ranks of the party hierarchy. July 21, 1994 Tony Blair, after 11 years of parliamentary activity, becomes the youngest leader of the Labor Party in its history. Then he was only 41 years old.

Blair became the ideal political leader for the Labor Party, largely deciding the outcome of the 1997 parliamentary elections in favor of his party.

Premiership

Blair was elected by a landslide, a victory the British Social Democrats had not seen in a century. As Prime Minister of Great Britain, following the results of the 1997 elections, he replaced the conservative John Major, thus interrupting the 18-year period of rule of the Tory party.

Since May 2, 1997 - Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was re-elected in the elections of 2001 and 2005.

On May 10, 2007, Tony Blair announced that on June 27 he would submit his resignation to the Queen as Prime Minister. Blair's predetermined successor was the Scottish Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown.

Known as the prime minister most loyal to the United States.

After resignation

On the day of his resignation, June 27, 2007, he was appointed Quartet's special envoy for peace in the Middle East.

In January 2008, he was appointed Senior Advisor and Member of the International Affairs Council at JPMorgan Chase. Blair also works as an advisor to the financial group Zurich Financial.

In July 2009, Tony Blair announced a strategic partnership with Durham University. Similar partnerships have been made with Yale University and the National University of Singapore to create global network twelve leading research universities to promote its Faith and Globalization Initiative in collaboration with the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

Since the beginning of 2010, Blair has been an advisor to the owner of the French LVMH group of companies, Bernard Arnault. Since autumn 2011, Tony Blair has been advising Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on economic reforms.

Interesting Facts

* In 1999, Blair for his contribution to the settlement of the conflict in Northern Ireland and participation in the Belfast Agreement of 1998 received the International Prize. Charlemagne.

* May 22, 2008 Tony Blair received an honorary doctorate in law from Queen's University Belfast for his contribution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.

* In 2009, US President George W. Bush presented Tony Blair with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

* In 2007, Robert Harris wrote the novel Ghost, which portrayed Tony Blair as Prime Minister Adam Lang, a CIA-influenced British prime minister. In 2010, the premiere of the film "Ghost", filmed by Roman Polanski based on the book, took place.

* Michael Sheen played the role of Tony Blair three times: in the 2003 TV movie The Deal, in the 2006 movie The Queen and in the 2010 TV movie The Special Relationship.

* Blair is the longest-serving British Labor Party record. In the 20th century, only Blair and Margaret Thatcher remained in power for three general elections.

Tony Blair was born in the Scottish city of Edinburgh in the family of a lawyer. As a child, he lived in Australia for three years.

From 1961 to 1966 he attended a private chorister school at Durham Cathedral, along with Rowan Atkinson, the future actor and performer of the role of Mr. Bean. Then Tony Blair entered the privileged private school Fettes College in Edinburgh. In Fettes, Tony did not differ in exemplary behavior, he hated the official uniform, which was mandatory for all students, imitating Mick Jagger, walked in jeans and grew long hair. The teachers constantly complained about him because he interfered with the classes.

In 1971-72 Tony Blair went to London to try his hand at rock music before studying law at St. John's College, Oxford University. As a student, Tony Blair was the vocalist in the band Ugly Rumours. In 1975 he received a diploma of the second degree of Bachelor of Laws.

After graduating from Oxford, Tony Blair joined the Labor Party. In 1976 he became a member of Lincoln's Inn as an apprentice barrister. In the summer of 1976, Tony went to France and worked in a hotel bar in Paris.

Start of political activity

In 1975, after graduating from university, he taught law at Oxford, after which he began working in the law office of Darry Irwin, a close friend, one of the leaders of the Labor Party, John Smith, under whose influence Tony Blair began political activity. In 1983, he took his newly created seat in Parliament, representing Sidgefield, a mining region to the north. Actively involved in the party struggle, the future prime minister was engaged in journalism and in 1987-1988 led his own column in The Times. Career quickly went up the hill, and in 1992 Blair was elected to the party's executive committee.

At the head of the party

An active and ambitious politician, Blair moved quickly through the ranks of the party hierarchy. July 21, 1994 Tony Blair, after 11 years of parliamentary activity, becomes the youngest leader of the Labor Party in its history. Then he was only 41 years old.

Blair became the ideal political leader for the Labor Party, largely deciding the outcome of the 1997 parliamentary elections in favor of his party.

Premiership

Blair was elected by a landslide, a victory the British Social Democrats had not seen in a century. As Prime Minister of Great Britain, following the results of the 1997 elections, he replaced the conservative John Major, thus interrupting the 18-year period of rule of the Tory party.

Since May 2, 1997 - Prime Minister of Great Britain. He was re-elected in the elections of 2001 and 2005.

On May 10, 2007, Tony Blair announced that on June 27 he would submit his resignation to the Queen as Prime Minister. Blair's predetermined successor was the Scottish Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown.

Known as the prime minister most loyal to the United States.

After resignation

On the day of his resignation, June 27, 2007, he was appointed Quartet's special envoy for peace in the Middle East.

In January 2008, he was appointed Senior Advisor and Member of the International Affairs Council at JPMorgan Chase. Blair also works as an advisor to the financial group Zurich Financial.

In July 2009, Tony Blair announced a strategic partnership with Durham University. Similar partnerships have been formed with Yale University and the National University of Singapore to create a global network of twelve leading research universities to advance its Faith and Globalization Initiative in collaboration with the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.

Since the beginning of 2010, Blair has been an advisor to the owner of the French LVMH group of companies, Bernard Arnault. Since autumn 2011, Tony Blair has been advising Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on economic reforms.

Interesting Facts

* In 1999, Blair for his contribution to the settlement of the conflict in Northern Ireland and participation in the Belfast Agreement of 1998 received the International Prize. Charlemagne.

* May 22, 2008 Tony Blair received an honorary doctorate in law from Queen's University Belfast for his contribution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.

* In 2009, US President George W. Bush presented Tony Blair with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

* In 2007, Robert Harris wrote the novel Ghost, which portrayed Tony Blair as Prime Minister Adam Lang, a CIA-influenced British prime minister. In 2010, the premiere of the film "Ghost", filmed by Roman Polanski based on the book, took place.

* Michael Sheen played the role of Tony Blair three times: in the 2003 TV movie The Deal, in the 2006 movie The Queen and in the 2010 TV movie The Special Relationship.

* Blair is the longest-serving British Labor Party record. In the 20th century, only Blair and Margaret Thatcher remained in power for three general elections.