Tony Blair Urges Labour to Prioritise Policy Over Politics
Tony Blair has intensified his criticism of the Labour government, insisting that the party should focus on 'policy first, politics second'. The former prime minister's remarks came hours after he published a scathing essay warning that Labour's 'almost infinite capacity for self-delusion' could lead to defeat in the next general election.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Blair urged the party to 'take a step back, analyse the world' and not rush into a leadership change without a clear policy direction. He specifically addressed the ambitions of potential successors such as Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting, calling on Labour MPs to 'force people to say where they stand' before backing a new leader.
In his 5,700-word essay released on Tuesday night, Blair advocated for cracking down on welfare spending, removing restrictions on oil and gas, embracing the artificial intelligence revolution, and smoothing relations with Donald Trump. He argued that without a coherent policy agenda, changing the leader would be futile.
'If you don't decide what your policy direction is, there's no point in changing the leader,' Blair said. 'The whole essence of the essay is to say it should be policy first, politics second.' He added that the AI revolution is the 21st-century equivalent of the Industrial Revolution and will change 'absolutely everything', yet it is not even part of the current debate.
Blair stressed that Labour won the last election largely on an anti-Conservative vote, positioning itself as an 'acceptable alternative'. However, he warned that commitments made in easier times must now be reassessed to prioritise growth and support for the business sector. 'We've got to grasp this artificial intelligence revolution, both its opportunities and its risks, with both hands,' he said.
When asked if his proposals aligned more with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, Blair dismissed tribal labels. 'I'm not asking the question about whether it's Tory, Reform, Greens, or Labour. I'm just saying: take a step back, analyse the world – where do we go?' He added that he does not care about traditional left-right distinctions and called for a 'radical centre' approach that delivers big change based on policy first.
Blair's intervention drew criticism from within the Labour Party. York Central MP Rachael Maskell described the timing as 'incredibly unhelpful' given three upcoming parliamentary byelections next month. 'Tony Blair won an election nearly three decades ago, and it seems he's continuing the argument from back then rather than looking at the situation today,' she said.
Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson also pushed back, noting that 'things have moved on' since Blair's government. 'I think his essay was about whether we're New Labour or old Labour – that was a debate happening in the 1990s,' Tomlinson told BBC Breakfast. 'This government is taking big steps that the Blair government didn't take, such as reforming our planning system to build more homes and provide stability for young people.'
Blair's essay and subsequent comments have reignited debate over Labour's direction, with the former leader urging the party to focus on substantive policy rather than internal politics.
