Tony Blair: Prime Minister, Controversies, and Legacy

Few British prime ministers have left a mark as deep — or as divisive — as Tony Blair, who swept into Downing Street in 1997 with a landslide victory, reshaped public services, led the country into the Iraq War, coined the ‘People’s Princess’ phrase, and faced an inquiry that criticised his judgment. This article traces the key moments, the lingering questions, and what Blair is doing now.

Born: 6 May 1953 ·
Tenure as Prime Minister: 1997–2007 ·
Political Party: Labour ·
General Elections Won: 3 ·
Estimated Net Worth (2025): £60 million

Ten key facts about Blair, one pattern: the same man who reshaped British domestic policy also made decisions that created lasting international controversy.

Why was Tony Blair forced to resign?

The Iraq War inquiry and public pressure

Blair resigned on 27 June 2007 after a decade in office, but the question of whether he was “forced out” is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. By 2006–2007, the Iraq War had deeply eroded public trust. The 2016 Chilcot Inquiry — a seven-year investigation into the UK’s decision to join the 2003 invasion — criticised Blair’s decision-making and the way intelligence about weapons of mass destruction was presented to Parliament (Al Jazeera).

On top of the war, the “cash-for-honours” investigation — a police inquiry into whether political donations were traded for peerages — added another layer of pressure. Blair was interviewed by police in 2006 but never charged (Wikipedia).

Blair’s resignation timeline

Blair announced his resignation on 10 May 2007 in a speech at his Sedgefield constituency, and formally left office on 27 June 2007. He was succeeded by his Chancellor, Gordon Brown, ending 10 years of New Labour leadership (Wikipedia).

Blair himself has said he wanted to “manage” the transition and avoid a lingering leadership battle. The timing, however, was dictated by a party that had already begun to rally around Brown as the next leader. The implication: Blair chose to leave, but the party had already chosen his successor.

What did Tony Blair call Princess Diana?

The “People’s Princess” speech

On the morning of 31 August 1997, hours after Princess Diana’s death in a car crash in Paris, Blair stood outside a church in his Sedgefield constituency and delivered a line that became part of British cultural history. He called her “the people’s princess” (Sky News).

The phrase was not spontaneous. According to Sky News, Blair had prepared the speech with his press secretary, Alastair Campbell, and the decision to use the phrase was a deliberate attempt to “manage” the public grief that followed Diana’s death (Sky News).

Context of the funeral address

Blair’s full statement read: “She was a wonderful, warm human being. People everywhere, not just here in Britain, kept faith with Princess Diana. They liked her, they loved her, they regarded her as one of the people. She was the people’s princess.” The speech was delivered just before a family service at St Mary’s Church in Trimdon, and it set the tone for the national mourning that followed (Sky News).

Blair later wrote in his memoir that he was “trying to capture the mood” of a country in shock. The phrase “people’s princess” entered the lexicon permanently, and it remains one of the most quoted lines from a British prime minister in modern times.

What did Tony Blair do that was controversial?

The Iraq War decision

The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq remains the central source of Blair’s enduring controversy. As Prime Minister, he authorised the UK’s military involvement based on intelligence that Saddam Hussein’s regime possessed weapons of mass destruction. That intelligence was later discredited, and no such weapons were found (Al Jazeera).

The Chilcot Inquiry, published in 2016, concluded that Blair had “over-egged” the threat posed by Iraq and that the war was not “the last resort.” The report was damning: it said Blair’s government had “identified the risks of post-invasion Iraq but did not adequately prepare for them” (Al Jazeera).

Blair has since said he is “desperately sorry” for the families of soldiers killed in Iraq, but he continues to defend the decision to remove Saddam Hussein, framing it as a choice made out of belief and security concerns (Sky News).

Cash-for-honours scandal

Between 2006 and 2007, Blair was investigated by the Metropolitan Police over allegations that the Labour Party had offered peerages in exchange for loans. The investigation lasted 16 months, and Blair was interviewed twice as a witness — not as a suspect. No charges were ever filed against him, but the scandal further damaged public trust in his government (The Seattle Times).

Foundation and public speaking fees

Since leaving office, Blair has built a significant private fortune through consulting, speaking engagements, and advisory roles. In 2008, he joined JPMorgan Chase in a senior advisory capacity, and he also advised Zurich Financial Services on climate change (Wikipedia). His estimated net worth of £60 million has drawn criticism, particularly from those who argue that his post-premiership earnings are at odds with his public service background.

What is Tony Blair doing today?

Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

Blair currently leads the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, a non-profit he founded in 2016. The institute focuses on policy and governance, advising governments on technology, climate change, and conflict resolution (Southern Pulse). It has offices in London and operates globally, with a particular focus on Africa and the Middle East.

Advising governments and corporations

Blair has spent years advising Middle Eastern governments, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2025, reports from multiple outlets, including The Washington Post, CNN, and NPR, suggest he is being considered for a role connected to postwar Gaza reconstruction. The discussions are reportedly tied to the Trump administration’s peace plan, and Blair’s name has emerged as a potential interim figure in transitional governance.

The catch: Blair’s Iraq War legacy makes him deeply unpopular in the Arab world. Al Jazeera reported that his potential involvement in Gaza has sparked widespread opposition, both in the region and in the UK, because of the “divisive” nature of his record (Al Jazeera).

Why was Tony Blair called Bambi?

Origins of the nickname

The nickname “Bambi” was coined early in Blair’s leadership of the Labour Party, which he assumed in 1994. It referred to his youthful appearance — wide eyes, a boyish grin, and a relatively young face for a political leader. The comparison to the Disney deer was a way for critics to imply inexperience and a certain softness (Wikipedia).

Public perception in the 1990s

Blair was 41 when he became Prime Minister — the youngest person to hold the office since Lord Liverpool in 1812. The “Bambi” label was used mostly by political opponents and the press, but it also reflected a genuine public perception: here was a new kind of Labour leader, one who looked and sounded different from the party’s past. The nickname faded as Blair’s tenure progressed, particularly after the Iraq War, when the “Bambi” image was replaced by a far more controversial one.

Blair himself has said little about the nickname publicly, but it remains a telling detail of how his early image was shaped by appearance and perception rather than policy. The nickname reveals how quickly his image shifted from fresh-faced reformer to a figure of controversy.

Blair’s legacy is a study in contradictions. He modernised the Labour Party, won three elections, and helped bring peace to Northern Ireland — but he also led the UK into a war that cost thousands of lives and discredited the intelligence system that justified it. In 2025, he is reportedly being considered for a postwar role in Gaza, a region where his Iraq War record makes him a deeply polarising figure. For the UK government considering whether to support his involvement, the choice is clear: Blair’s experience is unmatched, but so is the baggage he carries. The gamble is whether the peacemaker can outlast the memory of the war-maker.