Tag: Tony Blair

• Monday, July 24th 2017 - 06:36 UTC

  Corbyn, “the greatest rebel ever”, invited to avoid de-selection of MPs

  

  A former Labour chief whip has urged Jeremy Corbyn to “reflect” on Tony Blair's approach when party leader by ruling out the de-selection of MPs. Baroness Hilary Armstrong told the BBC Mr Corbyn was “the greatest rebel ever” as a backbencher but Mr Blair was reluctant to discipline him. She said the then prime minister felt that Labour was “a broad church”.

• Monday, July 17th 2017 - 05:26 UTC

  Tony Blair does not rule out a Jeremy Corbyn win on a “far Left program”

  

  Tony Blair says he now accepts Jeremy Corbyn could become prime minister. The ex-PM told BBC Newsnight that a year ago he would have said it was impossible for the left-wing Labour leader to win. But he added: “There's been so many political upsets, it's possible Jeremy Corbyn could become prime minister and Labour could win on that program.”

• Saturday, July 15th 2017 - 07:42 UTC

  Blair argues Brussels leaders willing to compromise to avoid UK leaving Europe

  

  Tony Blair believes European leaders would be willing to tighten up the free movement of people as a way to avoid Britain leaving the EU. The UK former prime minister suggested the “will of the people” may be changing as the difficulties of Brexit negotiations become apparent and called for a “proper debate” over the different options, including remaining in a reformed EU.

• Monday, April 24th 2017 - 06:14 UTC

  Tony Blair predicts landslide for PM May, but warns 'unreasonable' Brexit policy is geared by right wing Tories

  

  Tony Blair has urged voters not to elect MPs who “back Brexit at any cost”, whichever party they are from. The ex-PM told the BBC that Brexit was a bigger issue than party allegiance for the general election on 8 June.

• Monday, March 20th 2017 - 12:22 UTC

  Tony Blair insists Labour must work to remain in the EU

  

  Tony Blair has said Labour must back staying in the European Union to “recover its strategic grip on affairs and be competitive”. The former prime minister said he was not being disloyal, but that it is simply not credible to pretend that his party’s position is anything other than “serious”.

• Monday, February 20th 2017 - 10:42 UTC

  Tony Blair proposes a cross-party movement to rethink Brexit: “ideologues are driving the bus”

  

  Tony Blair has called on pro-Europeans to form a new cross-party movement to persuade the public they were wrong to vote to leave the EU. In an impassioned speech, the former prime minister said “progressives” should make it their “mission” to reverse the outcome of the referendum last June.

• Friday, January 27th 2017 - 11:12 UTC

  UK and US must drop failed military interventions “to remake the world in our image”

  

  Prime Minister Theresa May has told US Republicans the UK and America cannot return to “failed” military interventions “to remake the world in our own image”. Suggesting a UK foreign policy shift, she said those days were over but added that the US and UK should not “stand idly by when the threat is real”. However the two countries must “renew the special relationship for this new age” and “lead together, again”.

• Friday, August 14th 2015 - 08:45 UTC

  Blair warns Labor faces 'annihilation' if it chooses Jeremy Corbyn as leader

  

  Former British prime minister Tony Blair made a dramatic intervention into the debate over the future leadership of the Labor Party this week, warning Labour voters that the party faces “annihilation” if it chooses Jeremy Corbyn as leader.

• Thursday, December 5th 2013 - 19:06 UTC

  How Gibraltar 2002 referendum foundered plan for joint-sovereignty with Spain

  

  It was 2002 when Spain and UK had agreed the broad terms of joint sovereignty over Gibraltar, including inclusion in Schengen and the Customs Union. But the deal unraveled once the then Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter Caruana held the referendum later that year. This is the story as told by former Spanish premier Jose Maria Aznar, according to the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Wednesday, August 7th 2013 - 16:03 UTC

  The 2002 lost chance for the Gibraltar-Spain conflict according to former UK Europe minister Peter Hain

  

  Former UK Europe Minister Peter Hain has said that the failure to recognise Spain’s historic claim over the Rock is the root of the issues Gibraltar has with its neighbours. Hain made his comments during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.