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Blair leaves saying 'I did what I thought was right'
AFP/POOL/Phil Noble
Prime Minister Tony Blair announces his resignation at the Trimdon Labour Club, in Sedgefield. Blair announced Thursday he will resign on June 27.
By Robin Millard
AFP
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com 05 11 07Prime Minister Tony Blair announced Thursday he will resign on June 27, ending a tumultuous decade as one of Britain's most successful leaders but who divided the nation over the Iraq war.
Blair defended his record supporting the US-led invasion in 2003, insisting: "Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right."
An emotional Blair told supporters at his northern England constituency, "I may have been wrong, that's your call. But believe one thing if nothing else, I did what I thought was right for our country."
"I thank the British people for the times that it went right. And I apologise for the times I have fallen short."
Blair, 54, will leave office after 10 years in power which started with the handover of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997 a few weeks after the first of his three general election triumphs.He guided the nation and the royal family through the trauma of the death of Princess Diana, presided over a booming British economy and secured a peace deal for Northern Ireland, which was finally sealed this week.
But for many his legacy risks being clouded by the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
His premiership started amid euphoria but is ending with his popularity at record lows.
Blair said he had taken over a country "uncertain of its future, uncertain about the future," but insisted his government had achieved more than any other in Britain since 1945 because of the improved economy.
" I have been prime minister of this country for just over 10 years. In this job, in the world today, I think that is long enough for me."
Britain's deputy prime minister John Prescott, who has frequently made newspaper headlines with his private life, said he would also stand down.Finance minister Gordon Brown, the frontrunner to replace Blair despite their rivalry, hailed the prime minister's "unique leadership" at a cabinet meeting in London before Blair's made his plans public, a government spokesman said.
" There was much thumping of the table," said the spokesman.
" Gordon paid a very full tribute to Tony in there," added Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain.
A spokesman for Brown said the Chancellor of the Exchequer was putting the final touches to his bid to succeed Blair.
And US President George W. Bush was quick to welcome the prospect of working with Brown.
" We share a great history and so I look forward to working with -- Gordon Brown, who I presume is going," to be the next prime minister, Bush told reporters.
" I have had a meeting with him and found him to be an open and engaging person."
Despite his poll slump at home, Blair remains a hugely popular figure in the United States and many other countries.
The White House on Thursday paid tribute to Blair as "an extraordinary leader" and as an ally of both the Republican Bush and his Democratic predecessor Bill Clinton.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe praised Blair, saying: "He has achieved great results for the past 10 years. He won people's support by developing the economy and carrying out education reforms."
But British opposition leader David Cameron described Blair's decade in power as a "big disappointment," saying in a video on his Webcameron website that he thought "many people will look back on the last 10 years of dashed hopes and big disappointments, of so much promised and so little delivered."
Blair won three general elections and originally promised to serve a full third term of office, which would have kept him in office to 2010, but not fight for a fourth term.
After a mini "coup" by some Labour lawmakers last September though, allegedly orchestrated by Brown, Blair was forced to say he would step down by September this year.
Brown, 56, who shared an office with Blair when they were first elected to parliament in 1983 and who jointly reformed Labour, is virtually certain to become his successor.
Under the British system, the leader of the biggest party in parliament automatically becomes prime minister.
Blair will remain in office as Labour leader and prime minister during the campaign to succeed him.
He is due at the Group of Eight summit in Germany and the European Union leaders summit in June. On Friday he is to travel to Paris to meet French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy.
Speculation is mounting as to his future plans, which could include a possible international role such as president of the European Union, or making money on the lucrative lecture circuit, or simply writing his memoirs.
Blair's agent, John Burton, confirmed that Blair will stay on as a member of parliament, unless he is offered a "mammoth" international job after his resignation.
AFP 10 2003 GMT 05 07
Copyright© 2007 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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