Tony Blair

Labour MP Sedgefield

Date of birth

6 May 1953

Political profile

Tony Blair made electoral history in 2001 when he secured a majority large enough to ensure that he will lead the first Labour administration ever to run to two full terms.

His majority was also the largest second term majority ever gained by any party.

He has been Prime Minister since 1997 and has led the Labour Party since 1994.

He won the title after the death of John Smith, when his main potential rival Gordon Brown agreed not to stand in return for the chancellorship.

Mr Blair is already one of the world's longer-serving leaders, and as such took a high profile role during the post 11 September war on terror.

Trained as a barrister, Blair first entered the Commons in 1983 - having unsuccessfully previously contested a by-election in Beaconsfield - when the Labour manifesto included promises to withdraw from the European Community and unilaterally to scrap Britain's nuclear arsenal.

The party began to move towards the centre left under Neil Kinnock and John Smith, but it was Tony Blair who made radical moves, under the banner of "New Labour".

Besides tightening Labour's presentational skills, he convinced the party to scrap Clause IV of its constitution, which affirmed the party's commitment to public ownership.

While there has been criticism that new Labour relies too much on spin, in polls the party has retained a huge lead over the Conservatives throughout Mr Blair's leadership, other than a brief dip during the fuel price protests of September 2000.

His son Leo was the first baby born to a serving prime minister in more than a century.

Contact

Constituency office 01429 882202