Blair attended the Durham's Chorister School from 1961 to 1966 and then at the Fettes, an independent school in Edinburgh. Blair's teachers at Fettes recall him as a cheeky, rebellious figure; a talented actor who loved being the centre of attention and who cultivated a "cool" image among his peers. At the age of 17 he faced expulsion from the school. It was his girlfriend's father, Lord Mackenzie Stewart, an Old Fettesian who came to the rescue. Apparently, Mackenzie Stewart's daughter, Amanda, was the first girl to be admitted to Fettes. Imagine what a personality was Tony Blair who defeated the rest 440 to win her heart!!While at Fettes, Blair met Charlie Falconer, who would later become his Lord Chancellor. Blair later went on to study Law at Oxford.
Like many of his age, the teenager Tony Blair was obsessed with music and idolized Mick jagger. He also loved working behind the scenes as a manager or promoter. He spent a year in London managing student rock bands and also worked at the Bakers food Hall, Kensington. At Oxford he went on to enthrall people by his charismatic stage presence as a part of the rock band - Ugly Rumours.
As normal and carefree as he seemed, Tony was begining to show his thoughtful and serious side. He increasingly started talking about left wing politics and was becoming serious about his religious faith. In his firs year at Oxford, he met an Australian Priest - Peter Thompson whom Blair now credits with with awakening in him an interest in Christian socialism, and a desire for social change.
After Oxford, Tony became a trainee barrister under Derry Irvine who would later become his first Lord Chancellor. It was here that he met his future wife - Cherie Booth, also a trainee barrister. Cherie Blair was an active supporter of the Labour Party . It is said that Tony became an active member of the Labour Party in order to impress Cherie. They married in 1980.
Tony Blair now fully plunged into the Labour party politics. With help from his father-in-law - Tony Booth and Labour MP Pendry, Tony contested in a by election from Beaconsfield, a safe conservative seat. Though he never won that election, he managed to gain the attention of Labour leader Michael Foot, who was impressed with this enthusiastic and charismatic young man.
In 1983, Tony Blair contested in the general elections from Sedgefield Constituency, near Durham. He won the election. The early 1980s saw high unemployment rates, closure of many industrial units. At this juncture, this 30yr old, youngest Labour MP fought for his constituents' jobs and was also very vocal about the need for the Labour Party to redefine and modernise its goals to suit the growing middle class population.
Blair along with Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson set out to lay the foundations for the new Labour. They were determined to bring Labour back to power by abandoning its unpopular and anti development policies. They redefined the way Labour communicated with its people.
After the sad demise of their leader John Smith in 1994, Blair took over the responsibility after a supposed deal struck with Gordon Brown on power sharing. Blair then strived to reform the party and later led the party to a landslide victory in the 1997 general elections. Blair entered the Downing street on 2nd May 1997.
It is this stage of his political career that is most important as he led the labour party to victory for three consecutive terms. It is in this stage of his career in which he led the country to war thrice, the most for any British Prime Minister. IT is during this period that his actions changed the world's political history. Therefore, a need to discuss this 10 year period of his life in depth. I'll discuss all this in my next post.
Well if you can't wait till then.. go ahead hear from the Master himself.. A Journey: My Political Life
, Autobiography of Tony Blair<
