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[[Image:Tony-blair.jpg|thumb|Tony Blair at a party meeting in 2005.]]
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'''Tony Blair''' (born 6th May [[1953]]), as [[prime minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1997 to 2007, perhaps earned a reputation as one of the most controversial holders of [[Britain]]'s highest [[politics|political]] office. Internationally, he was best known for supporting a much-opposed [[United States of America|U.S.]]-led [[Iraq War|war in Iraq]], the repercussions of which are ongoing in the [[Middle East]] and the wider world; domestically, his legacy included the abolition of [[socialism]] as the fundamental tenet of his ('New') [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], and the introduction of the [[privatisation|private sector]] into British [[National health service (UK)|health]] and [[education]].
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| style="background: #ffffff; text-align: center;" | '''[[United Kingdom]]'''
==Current career==
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Anthony Charles Lynton Blair's experience as a prime minister might have made him an uncontroversial choice for a Middle East envoy, were he not also one of the main architects of the [[Iraq]] War.<ref>As reported on [[CNN]], Blair's new role in the Middle East was greeted with some incredulity: see '[http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/27/britain.brown/index.html Blair resigns as UK prime minister].' 27th June 2007.</ref> Immediately after [[Tony Blair#Departure|leaving the office of British prime minister]] and resigning as Labour leader, Blair severed his final link with UK domestic politics by stepping down as [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Sedgefield]], a [[constituency]] he represented in the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British parliament]] from 1983 until his appointment as envoy in 2007.
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==Resignation and departure as prime minister==
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===Resignation announcement===
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10th May [[2007]] marked the official announcement of the end of Blair's premiership, with a departure date set for the following 27th June.<ref>''[[BBC]] News'': [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6639945.stm Blair will stand down on 27 June]'.</ref> In a speech made in his Sedgefield constituency, Blair announced a timetable for leaving office, paving the way for his successor [[Gordon Brown]] after over ten years of power. In words that emphasised his domestic record more than his international influence, Blair credited his [[government]] with lowering [[crime]], stabilising the [[economy]] and improving public services; he also emphasised that it had placed the UK at the forefront of fighting [[terrorism]], tackling [[climate change]] and providing [[aid]] to troubled regions such as [[Africa]]. Often accused of having a fervently [[religious]] approach to wider issues,<ref>Blair referred to this in his Sedgefield speech as a "[[Messiah|Messianic]] zeal", a characteristic he clearly rejected.</ref> he also remained committed to the view that time would see his decision-making vindicated:
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<blockquote>''I did what I thought was right. I may have been wrong, that's your call, but I did what I thought was right for our country.''</blockquote>
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An apology for his most-criticised activities was unforthcoming. In concluding, however, Blair admitted that he had made unspecified mistakes:  
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<blockquote>''My apologies to you for the times I've fallen short. But good luck.''</blockquote>
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===Final acts as prime minister===
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Tony Blair's final appearances as an international politician were at the 2007 [[Group of Eight]] (G8) summit held between some of the world's most economically powerful states, and a meeting of the [[European Council]] of [[European Union]] countries. These actions would be expected from a premiership often strongly focused on issues outside the UK's borders, though Blair's intention to bring the country closer to its European partners was not entirely fulfilled.<ref>According to the [[historian]] [[Anthony Seldon]]. ''BBC News'': '[How will history judge Blair? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6636091.stm#seldon].' 10th May 2007.</ref> Back in Britain, Blair's final days as prime minister saw his name rarely out of the [[media of the United Kingdom|national press]]: he called the [[media]] a "feral beast" while admitting his government's early desire to '[[spin]]' stories may have aggravated this issue;<ref>''BBC News'': '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6744261.stm Media 'like feral beast' - Blair].' June 2007.</ref> and he strongly criticised the proposed [[academic boycott of Israel|academic boycott on Israeli universities]] in one of his final performances in the UK's [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|lower house of parliament]].<ref>''BBC News'': '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6726727.stm Blair decries Israel boycott move].' June 2007.</ref> As for the upper house, he reaffirmed his view that the [[House of Lords]] should remain [[Reform of the House of Lords|appointed rather than elected]].<ref>''BBC News'': '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6763575.stm Blair still backs appointed Lords].' 18th June 2007.</ref>
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===Departure===
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27th June 2007 saw Tony Blair resign as prime minister of the United Kingdom;<ref>''BBC News'': '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6243558.stm Blair resigns as prime minister].' 27th June 2007.</ref> his final act in office was to appear for the usual weekly questions to the premier in the House of Commons, where political friends and foe alike paid tribute to some of his record, such as continuing the work towards long-term peace in [[Northern Ireland]]. Blair conceded that he had "never pretended to be a great House of Commons man", acknowledging the view that his tenure had seen moves to sideline Parliament; and he apologised for the dangers [[Armed forces of the United Kingdom|British troops]] faced in Iraq. His words of farewell underlined the finality of the event:
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<blockquote>''I wish everyone, friend or foe, well and that is that, the end.''</blockquote>
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==Footnotes==
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==External links==
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*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2007/blair_years/default.stm The Blair Years 1997-2007] - BBC articles covering major events of Tony Blair's premiership, with analysis.
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'''Gordon Brown''' (born 20th February 1951) is the current [[prime minister of the United Kingdom]] and leader of the [[government of the United Kingdom|governing]] [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]. He is also a [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath]] in his native [[Scotland]], and holds a [[PhD]] in [[politics]] from the [[University of Edinburgh]].<ref>Brown (1982).</ref>
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Brown succeeded his political rival [[Tony Blair]] as prime minister in June 2007; much has been made of the differences between the two men, though Brown remains a supporter of the centre-left 'New' Labour [[ideology]] in which [[socialism]] plays no part. He is said to be slightly more left-wing than Blair,<ref>''[[Channel 4]] News'': '[http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/brown+vs+blue+on+going+green/291852  Brown vs blue on going green].' 12th March 2007.</ref> and slightly cooler towards the '[[special relationship]]' between the UK and the [[United States of America|USA]].<ref>''[[Daily Telegraph]]'': '[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/20/wirq220.xml Relations will be less special, Washington fears].' 21st May 2007.</ref> However, the two shared a similar outlook over the [[Iraq War]], a conflict Brown supported, and on a more practical level, he has pledged to continue his predecessor's commitment to addressing [[global warming|climate change]] and international [[terrorism]].<ref>''[[BBC]] News'': '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6229596.stm Brown pledge to cut state control].' 22nd June 2007.</ref>
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Prior to taking office as premier, Brown served for ten years as the UK's [[finance]] minister, the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]. Those ten years since 'New' Labour was first elected in 1997 were often marked by behind-the-scenes feuding between the so-called 'Brownite' and 'Blairite' camps; in one memorable instance, an anonymous briefing declared Brown "psychologically flawed."<ref>''[[BBC]] News'': '[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/252677.stm Civil war that hit New Labour project].' 11th January 1999.</ref> More recently, documents appeared in the mass [[media]] suggesting that Blair had intended to remove Brown from the [[Treasury]] and offer him the post of [[foreign affairs|foreign]] minister.<ref>''[[Independent]] on Sunday'': '[http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2701305.ece Revealed: Blair's secret plan to sack Gordon Brown].' 24th June 2007.</ref>
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==References==
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*Brown JG (1982) [http://catalogue.lib.ed.ac.uk/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=1&ti=1,1&SEQ=20070626092346&Search&PID=bjGJZZ833JL7rZGel6JD6lO1FBz The Labour Party and political change in Scotland, 1918-1929: the politics of five elections]. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh.
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==External links==
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*[http://www.pm.gov.uk 10 Downing Street] - official website for the UK prime minister's office
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*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5322946.stm Timeline: Blair vs Brown] - details on the ups and downs of the Blair-Brown partnership, from the BBC
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==See also==
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*[[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]
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*[[Tony Blair]]
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'''Red Dwarf''' is a [[science fiction]] [[situation comedy]] originally aired on [[United Kingdom|British]] [[television]] by the [[BBC]] in 1988. By the final series in 1999, it gone from a [[cult television]] favourite to mainstream success, spawning several original [[novelisation]]s and accompanying [[merchandising|merchandise]]. Interest in ''Red Dawarf'' remains high, with a loyal [[fan]] base and continuing attempts to launch a [[movie]] version of the series.
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''Red Dwarf'' was created by [[Rob Grant]] and [[Doug Naylor]], [[Manchester]]-based scriptwriting partners who worked under the pseudonym [[Grant Naylor]]. Their partnership lasted from the late 1970s, when they worked on several series together and wrote material for various [[comedian]]s such as [[Jasper Carrott]]. During this time, they were attempting to get a sci-fi sitcom into production, with the central character the last [[human]] in the [[universe]]. In 1983, this saw the light of day on [[radio]] as ''Dave Hollins: Space Cadet'', though Grant and Naylor continued to approach the BBC with a script made for television which took this basic idea and expanded it. This script, which was rejected by the BBC for three years, was called ''Red Dwarf'', after the [[mining]] ship on which the central character would find himself almost alone.
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The BBC rejected the script several times because it was felt that a sitcom with science-fiction elements would not work. Grant and Naylor kept submitting basically the same script through the producer [[Paul Jackson]], who eventually convinced the corporation to commission six episodes. ''Red Dwarf'' aired five years after ''Dave Hollins'' was first broadcast.
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The new programme had been considerably changed and expanded upon. Hollins became [[Dave Lister]], a lazy and rather unkempt employee of the Jupiter Mining Corporation, who has the dubious honour of being the lowest-ranked crew member of the JMC's gigantic ship ''Red Dwarf'', a vessel sent through the [[solar system]] on a mining expedition. His room-mate is [[Arnold Rimmer]], a deeply competitive, throughly nasty incompentent who has reached the dizzying heights of second-lowest rank aboard the ship. Lister is punished for bringing aboard an [[quaratine|unquarantined]] [[cat]] by being placed in [[suspended animation]] for eighteen months; however, while he and his cat are respectively sealed in stasis and the ship's hold, a [[radiation]] leak kills everyone else on board.
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Having set up the idea of a ship the size of a [[city]], Grant and Naylor now had Lister almost alone in the universe; three million years have passed before ''Red Dwarf'''s [[computer]], the artificially-(un)intelligent [[Holly (Red Dwarf)|Holly]], was able to release him unharmed. Whereas Dave Hollins had only the ship's computer for company, Dave Lister was given two new companions: a [[hologram]] simulation of the long-dead Rimmer, and [[Cat (Red Dwarf)|Cat]], apparently the last of a [[race]] of feline humanoids that [[evolution|evolved]] from Lister's [[pet]]. With the crew reduced to [[dust]] (as Lister discovered, but not before accidentally eating some of their remains), these four characters would find themselves travelling through an empty universe; initially confined to the ship, the series moved towards [[comedy drama]] as more [[money]] flowed into the production team's coffers and more [[special effects]] and [[location filming]] was made possible.
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Revision as of 03:41, 30 June 2007

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