Sir Tony Blair

Tony Blair was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007, serving three consecutive terms and becoming the only Labour leader in the party's history to win three general elections. During his decade in office, he delivered a wide-ranging domestic reform programme alongside sustained economic growth and record employment. Through major investment and structural reform, outcomes in education and healthcare improved significantly; crime fell by around a third; and a programme of social liberalisation and constitutional reform reshaped the UK's political landscape. His government created the Department for International Development, trebled UK aid to Africa, and introduced landmark legislation to address climate change. On the international stage, Tony played a central role in securing the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to decades of conflict in Northern Ireland. He was also a strong supporter of international military intervention in Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, and stood firmly with the United States following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. After leaving office, Tony has remained deeply engaged in global affairs, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. He has continued to advocate for peace and regional cooperation in the Middle East, including efforts to support de-escalation following the recent conflict in Gaza and to advance a sustainable, long-term political solution. His work has also focused on normalising relations between Israel and Arab states, contributing to the momentum that led to the Abraham Accords in 2020. In 2016, he founded the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, a not-for-profit organisation that works with political leaders around the world to drive change. It provides expert advice on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three to build more open, inclusive and prosperous countries for people everywhere. Today, the Institute operates in more than 40 countries worldwide.