This Blog has already made it perfectly clear that Tony Blair does not represent centre-ground politics in any way at all, so perhaps we should react by denouncing him as a liar for suggesting it.

I wrote: “He talks about the Progressive Left but he’s as much a product of the Reactionary Right as, for example, David Cameron, who worked very hard to follow the Blairite model of neoliberal economic policies leavened with social reform.

“Margaret Thatcher, whose project during the 1980s was entirely geared towards the destruction of the UK’s industrial base and erosion of its trade unions, in order to destroy the economic leverage enjoyed by working people in the 1970s, considered Mr Blair’s New Labour to be her greatest achievement.

“Blair belongs to the reactionary, regressive Right and is trying to hoodwink us all into believing otherwise.”

But perhaps that is paying too much respect to the former prime minister’s latest project.

Perhaps the best possible reaction is that posted on Twitter by Matt Turner:

Tony Blair has announced that he is to launch a new institute for centre-ground politics in response to what he said were growing concerns about the global forces of right and leftwing populism.

The institute will be launched in the new year, the former prime minister said in a statement, but added it should not be interpreted as a desire to return to party politics.

“This is not about my returning to the front line of politics,” Blair said. “I have made it abundantly clear that this is not possible. However, I care about my country and the world my children and grandchildren will grow up in; and want to play at least a small part in contributing to the debate about the future of both.”

Source: Tony Blair to launch new institute for centre-ground politics | Politics | The Guardian

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