Labour's bitter leadership battle is set to grow even more rancorous amid claims ex-prime minister Tony Blair will ramp up his interventions this summer. Sir Tony, who was Labour premier between 1997 and 2007, this week made an explosive entry into the party's infighting as MPs mull whether to ditch Keir Starmer.
Labour 's bitter leadership battle is set to grow even more rancorous amid claims ex-prime minister Tony Blair will ramp up his interventions this summer. Sir Tony, who was Labour premier between 1997 and 2007, this week made an explosive entry into the party's infighting as MPs mull whether to ditch Keir Starmer .
In a 5,600-word essay, he accused his party of retreating into a Left-wing 'comfort zone' with no 'coherent plan' for transforming Britain. Sir Tony urged Labour MPs to 'force people to say where they stand' if they do push for a leadership contest, with Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting as likely candidates. One of the ex-PM's allies claimed Sir Tony's intervention was 'the beginning, not the end' of his efforts to influence the party's future direction.
They told The Times that Mr Burnham's claim that '40 years of neoliberalism' had put Britain on the 'wrong path' had 'put fire in Tony's belly'. Amid concerns that Labour will drift further to the Left under a Mr Burnham premiership, Sir Tony said the party risked consigning the UK to 'relegation from the Premier League of nations'. He also criticised Mr Streeting's policy proposals.
But both Mr Burnham and Mr Streeting have hit back at the ex-PM's comments, with Mr Streeting - the former health secretary - taking a swipe at Sir Tony over his 2003 invasion of Iraq. Labour's bitter leadership battle is set to grow even more rancorous amid claims ex-prime minister Tony Blair will ramp up his interventions this summer.
Allies of the ex-PM said Andy Burnham's claim that '40 years of neoliberalism' had put Britain on the 'wrong path' had 'put fire in Tony's belly'. But both Mr Burnham and Mr Streeting have hit back at the ex-PM's comments, with Mr Streeting - the former health secretary - taking a swipe at Sir Tony over his Iraq war.
In an interview with The Observer, Mr Burnham said Sir Tony did not understand the economic factors driving support for parties like Reform UK and the Greens.
'He doesn't mention inequality once,' Mr Burnham said. 'If you don't get how that's driving politics now, if you are not rooting your analysis in the fact that people are unable to live and that things that were taken for granted are no longer affordable, then you are not understanding what's going on. ' Mr Streeting was criticised in Sir Tony's essay for his proposed wealth tax and call for Britain to rejoin the EU.
In an article for The Guardian, the ex-Cabinet minister argued the 'striking weakness at the heart of' Sir Tony's intervention was the lack of mention of inequality. He also hit out at Sir Tony's suggestion that Sir Keir should have initially allowed Donald Trump to use British military bases for US strikes on Iran. Mr Streeting wrote: 'Our alliance with the US remains indispensable and rooted in deep historical ties. But Atlanticism cannot mean automatic subservience.
'When US presidents flirt with authoritarian leaders, undermine international law or pursue reckless military adventurism, Britain must have the confidence to act independently. 'We learned at terrible cost in Iraq what happens when loyalty replaces judgment.
Labour Leadership Battle Tony Blair Keir Starmer Andy Burnham Wes Streeting Ex-PM Intervention Transforming Britain Left-Wing Coherent Plan Premier League Of Nations 40 Years Of Neoliberalism Atlanticism International Law Rejoin The EU Wealth Tax Iraq War Donald Trump British Military Bases US Strikes On Iran Loyalty Replaces Judgment Economic Factors Inequality Driving Politics Now Things That Were Taken For Granted Are No Long Not Understanding What's Going On Not Getting How That's Driving Politics Now Not Rooting Your Analysis In The Fact That Peo Not Understanding What's Going On Striking Weakness At The Heart Of Lack Of Mention Of Inequality Alliance With The US Deep Historical Ties Atlanticism Cannot Mean Automatic Subservience When US Presidents Flirt With Authoritarian Le Undermine International Law Pursue Reckless Military Adventurism Britain Must Have The Confidence To Act Indepe We Learned At Terrible Cost In Iraq What Happe
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