Tony Blair/Bibliography

for the biography see Tony Blair

Journalistic reports

• The Economist "Tony Blair: How will history judge him?" leader published May 10th 2007 online
• The Blair Years 1997-2007 - BBC articles covering major events of Tony Blair's premiership, with analysis.
• The New York Times - Includes short biography and links to NY Times articles relating to Tony Blair.
• Tony Blair, issue by issue by Tom Bentley; English edition, Le Monde diplomatique, February 2003.
• Tony Blair,British Prime Minister 1997-2007 Research Note, Parliament of Australia.
• Newsweek: 'Of Roots and Legacies' 26th June 2007; by Stryker McGuire; ("As Tony Blair leaves office, the bitterness over Iraq tends to eclipse the memories of how the British prime minister transformed the ruins of an old socialist party into the government of Cool Britannia...")
• City Journal: 'Delusions of Honesty' Summer 2007. Highly critical article by Theodore Dalrymple: "Tony Blair’s domestic legacy: corruption and the erosion of liberty."
• Sunday Times: 'Blair reinvented the Middle Ages and called it liberal intervention' June 3rd 2007. Simon Jenkins attacks Blair's Foreign Policy.

Books about Blair

• Abse, Leo (2001) Tony Blair: The Man Behind the Smile. Robson Books, ISBN 1-86105-364-9 Written by a former, left-wing Labour MP, updated as Tony Blair: the man who lost his smile Robson Books, ISBN1861056982. Reviewed [http://www.newstatesman.com/200311030011 Intense attack from Old Left.
• Beckett F, Hencke D (2004) The Blairs and Their Court. Aurum Press, ISBN 1-84513-024-3 See extracts here.
• Beckett F, Hencke D (2006)The Survivor: Tony Blair in Peace and War . Aurum Press, ISBN 184513110X. Written by two investigative journalists, this book was nominated for Britain’s Channel 4 "Political Book of the Year" Award.
• Naughtie, James (2001) The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency. Macmillan, ISBN 1-4050-5001-2. James Naughtie is a broadcaster with the BBC, and political journalist. Interview inThe Washington Post.
• Naughtie, James (2002) The Rivals. Fourth estate, ISBN 1841154741 The hardback version was subtitled Blair and Brown: the Intimate Story of a Political Marriage. Inspired the Channel Four televion drama The Deal.[1] Reviewed by The New Statesman ("[this book was received with boredom and indifference.")]
• Rawnsley, Andrew (2000) Servants of the People: The Inside Story of New Labour. Hamish Hamilton, ISBN 0-241-14029-3. by a political journalist. Review ("United they stand") in the New Statesman, October 2000.
• Rentoul, John (2001) Tony Blair: Prime Minister. Little Brown, ISBN 0-316-85496-4. First sentence: "Tony Blair's political ambition began at the age of eleven, when his father Leo's ended, on 4 July 1964."
• Riddell, Peter (2004) The Unfulfilled Prime Minister: Tony Blair and the End of Optimism. Politico's Publishing, ISBN 1-84275-113-1. Review (..Where did it all go wrong?") in the New Statesman.
• Seldon, Anthony (2004) Blair. Free Press, ISBN 0-7432-3211-9. Written by a historian and social commentator; see Selson on video "Tony Blair in History": introducing a Conference on "What ever happened to Cool Britannia? The UK after eight years of Blair." Montreal, August 2005.
• Short, Clare (2004) An Honourable Deception? New Labour, Iraq, and the Misuse of Power. Free Press, ISBN 0-7432-6392-8. Clare Short was a left-wing minister in Blair's Cabinet; she resigned three times; twice in protest at Government policies in the two Gulf Wars and once in a protest against anti-terrorism legislation[2].
• Stephens, Philip (2004) Tony Blair: The Making of a World Leader. Viking Books. ISBN 0-670-03300-6. Written by a senior editor of The Financial Times. Review [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5037/is_200402/ai_n18261022 Argues that for Blair, "ending the tyranny in Iraq was a moral cause fully in accord with the teachings on just wars of Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas."
• Stothard, Peter (2003) Thirty Days: Tony Blair and the Test of History HarperCollins, ISBN 0060582618. Review in The New Yorker. Sir Peter Stophard, a former Editor of The Times. accompanied Blair daily in routine days in spring 2003.
• Temple, Michael. Blair (British Prime Ministers of the 20th Century) (2006) excerpt online

Scholarly studies

• Bevir, Mark and Rhodes, R. A. W. (2006) "Prime Ministers, Presidentialism and Westminster Smokescreens." Political Studies 54:671-90. Issn 0032-3217 Fulltext: [ Ebsco ]
• Elden, Stuart (2007) "Blair, Neo-conservatism and the War on Territorial Integrity." International Politics 44:37-57. Issn 1384-5748
• Fielding, Steven (2003) The Labour Party: Continuity and Change in the Making of New Labour. Palgrave, 247 pp., offers a systematic argument that the Labour Party, under Blair's leadership, has been faithful to its past, and represents "traditional values in a modern setting." ISBN 0333973925
• Foley, Michael (2003) John Major, Tony Blair and a Conflict of Leadership: Collision Course. Manchester University Press, 212 pp. ISBN 0719063175
• Foley, Michael (2001) The British Presidency: Tony Blair and the Politics of Public Leadership
• Gardner, Lloyd C (2005) "'Damned High Wire,' on the Special Relationship That Unites Bush and Blair in Iraq." Journal of Transatlantic Studies 3(1 Supplement):43-62. Issn: 1479-4012 Fulltext: [ Ebsco ]
• Gray, John (2004) "Blair's Project in Retrospect." International Affairs 80:39-48. Issn: 0020-5850 Fulltext: [ Ebsco ], argues Blair's project for closer relations with Europe was seriously damaged by his misjudged support for US foreign policy in Iraq in 2002-04.
• Hill, Paul T. "Lessons from Blair's School Reforms." Policy Review, No. 131, 2005. online edition
• Jones, Nicholas (2000). Sultans of Spin: The Media and the New Labour Government. Orion Books. * King, Anthony, ed. (1998) New Labour Triumphs: Britain at the Polls. Chatham House, 259pp. ISBN 1566430577 online edition
• Needham, Catherine (2005) "Brand Leaders: Clinton, Blair and the Limitations of the Permanent Campaign." Political Studies 53:343-61. Issn: 0032-3217 Fulltext: [ Ebsco ]
• Reitan, Earl A (2003) The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001. Rowman & Littlefield, 260 pp. ISBN 0742522032
• Rubinstein, David (2005) The Labour Party and British Society: 1880-2005. Brighton, Sussex Acad., 228 pp. ISBN 1845190564
• Williams, Paul (2006) British Foreign Policy under New Labour Palgrave Macmillan 288pp ISBN 1403913218
• Wither, James K. "British Bulldog or Bush's Poodle? Anglo-American Relations and the Iraq War," Parameters, Vol. 33, 2003 online edition

Primary sources

Memoirs

• Campbell, Alastair (2007) The Blair Years: The Alastair Campbell Diaries. Knopf, ISBN 0307268314. By the controversial Press Secretary to Tony Blair. Review ("Not such a lovely bloke") in The Guardian and another ("Vivid, intriguing, boastful - and honest") in The Times. Extract: "April 2003: Clare [Short] was rabbiting on more than ever. I slipped TB [Tony Blair] a note about the time Saddam shot his health minister at a meeting because she was annoying him and did he want me to get a gun? 'Yes,' he scribbled."
• Gould, Philip (1999) The Unfinished Revolution: How the Modernisers Saved the Labour Party. Abacus, ISBN 0-349-11177-4. Written by one of Blair's strategists. Reviewed in the Independent newspaper("No wonder Tony is a control freak")
• tonyblairoffice.org - Official site with details of Tony Blair's post-Downing Street career.

Blair's Speeches and Writings

• Tony Blair archive - official record of Tony Blair's speeches, films and podcasts from the UK Prime Minister's website.
• Blair:In his own words BBC Archive of quotes from Tony Blair during his ten years as Prime Minister
• Blair, Tony (2004) New Britain: My Vision of a Young Country. Westerview Press, online edition ISBN 081334235X. Review ("I'll not buy a book by that terrible little man")in the right-wing Spectator magazine.
• Blair, Tony (1994) What Price a Safe Society? Fabian Society, 40pp ISBN 0716305623
• Blair, Tony (1995) Let us Face the Future. Fabian Society, 40pp ISBN 0716305712
• Blair, Tony (1998) The Third Way : New Politics for the New Century Fabian Society, 20pp ISBN 0716305887
• Blair, Tony (1999) Is New Labour Working? Fabian Society, 58pp ISBN 0716305909
• Blair, Tony (2000) Superpower: Not Superstate? (Federal Trust European Essays) Federal Trust for Education & Research ISBN 1903403251
• Blair, Tony (2002) The Courage of Our Convictions: Why Reform of the Public Services Is the Route to Social Justice Fabian Society, 40pp ISBN 0716306034
• Paul Richards (Editor) (2004) Tony Blair In His Own Words. Politico's Publishing, ISBN 1842750895 Collection of Blair's speeches and writings.
• Speech at the Campaign for Freedom of Information's annual Awards ceremony, 25 March 1996. "I don't believe it is possible for government to govern effectively now, unless it governs in some sense in a relationship of partnership with the people whom it is governing. It is one of the reasons why decentralisation of power is actually in the interests of government."
• Speech to the Labour Party Conference 1997 September 1997, in the wake of the landslide election victory of May 1997. "The size of our victory imposes a very special responsibility on us. To be a government of high ideals and hard choices. Not popular for one time but remembered for all time. Not just a better government than the Tories but one of the great, radical, reforming Governments of our history. To modernise Britain as we modernised the Labour Party. To build a Britain, not for a few, but for all the people."
• The Power Of Community Can Change The World' Speech to Labour Party Conference, October 2001 Speech given in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, and arguing for intervention in Afghanistan."Whatever the dangers of the action we take, the dangers of inaction are far, far greater."
• 'I believe this is Africa's best chance for a generation ...' Tony Blair in The Guardian, 12th March 2005
• Address by Tony Blair to the GAVI Alliance, mainly on Africa and Global Warming, and the need for concerted international action 27th January 2005. On global warming, he says "So it would be true to say the evidence is still disputed. It would be wrong to say that the evidence of danger is not clearly and persuasively advocated by a very large number of entirely independent and compelling voices. They are the majority. The majority is not always right; but they deserve to be listened to."
• Speech to the European Parliament 23rd June 2005. "There is not some division between the Europe necessary to succeed economically and social Europe. Political Europe and economic Europe do not live in separate rooms."
• Blair speech on terror delivered to The Labour Party annual conference, 16th July 2005 "The spirit of our age is one in which the prejudices of the past are put behind us, where our diversity is our strength. It is this which is under attack. Moderates are not moderate through weakness but through strength. Now is the time to show it in defence of our common values."
• The Moment for Reconciliation Text of Tony Blair Speech at Georgetown, May 27, 2006. Of the post- Saddam Hussein Iraqi government he says "This is a child of democracy struggling to be born. They and we, the international community, are the midwives. You may not agree with original decision. You may believe mistakes have been made. You may even think how can it be worth the sacrifice. But surely we must all accept this is a genuine attempt to run the race of liberty."
• Time to act against animal rights protesters Tony Blair writing in the Sunday Telegraph, 13th August 2006, declares his support for the "People's Petition" in favour of medical research involving the use of animals.
• 'The Shame of Slavery' Tony Blair writes in New Nation, 27th November 2006 about Britain's role in the transatlatic slave trade.
• 'A Global alliance for Global Values' Tony Blair (2006), published by The Foreign Policy Centre
• Address by Tony Blair' to the Australian Parliament, 27th March 2006
• Blair's last speech to the Trades Union Council (TUC) September, 2006. At the conference, he defended Labour's choices in power against criticisms from Trade Unions that the Government had been too concerned with electoral popularity rather than principle [3], saying " ...it is a darn sight better than wasting our time in opposition passing resolutions no-one ever listens to or can do anything about." In his speech, which was greeted with heckling, he said "However difficult it is, however fraught our relations from time to time, make no mistake: I want the TUC to carry on being addressed by a Labour PM, not go back to being addressed by the leader of the opposition."
• Final Conference Speech 17th September 2006 ("I know I look a lot older. That's what being leader of the Labour Party does to you. Actually, looking round some of you look a lot older. That's what having me as leader of the Labour Party does to you.") Defending New Labour, he said, "Values unrelated to modern reality are not just electorally hopeless, the values themselves become devalued. They have no purchase on the real world. We won not because we surrendered our values but because we finally had the courage to be true to them."
• 'Blair: shackled in war on terror' Tony Blair writing in The Sunday Times 27th May 2007
• What I've learned' Tony Blair, writing in The Economist, 31st May 2007 ...international politics should not be simply a game of interests but also of beliefs, things we stand for and fight for.... It is also why we should be prepared to intervene, if necessary militarily, to prevent genocide, oppression, the deep injustice too often inflicted on the vulnerable.
• Full text of Blair's multiculturalism speech 9th December 2006. Obedience to the rule of law, to democratic decision-making about who governs us, to freedom from violence and discrimination are not optional for British citizens. They are what being British is about. Being British carries rights. It also carries duties. And those duties take clear precedence over any cultural or religious practice. Text from Telegraph newspaper online.
• 'Like a feral beast' Speech delivered to reuter's headquarters in London on June 12th 2007 in which Blair argued that today's media too often blur the distinctions between news and comment. Published here in the Wall Street Journal
• The text of Tony Blair's resignation speech at his Sedgefield constituency is included in The Independent: 'The Legacy: Tony Blair, Prime Minister, 1997-2007' by Andrew Grice, 11th May 2007. ("Great expectations not fulfilled in every part, for sure. Occasionally, people say, as I said earlier, 'They were too high, you should have lowered them.' But, to be frank, I would not have wanted it any other way.")

Historical Documents

• The Butler Report "Review of Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction. Report to the House of Commons, 14th July 2004. Full text (1Mb). See The Guardian: Butler Report: Key Findings. The Report concluded that, in March 2002 the available intelligence was "insufficiently robust" to prove Iraq was in breach of the United Nations' resolutions, and that some of the human intelligence about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was "seriously flawed" and "open to doubt", but found no evidence of "deliberate distortion" of the intelligence material or of "culpable negligence".