Tony's Ten Years: Memories of the Blair Administration

by Adam Boulton

Adam Boulton uses the events of Blair's last hundred days to identify key moments in his premiership and follows him intimately through his final days in office. The veteran political journalist witnesses the so-called 'Blairwell Tour' as the caravan travels from Westminster to Washington, Iraq, South Africa, the EU, the G8, Northern Ireland, the Sedgefield constituency, Chequers and beyond. Boulton traces these celebrations back to the key incidents, achievements and mistakes of the Prime Minister's ten years in power and measures him against his immediate predecessors and the rival who succeeded him, Gordon Brown. He provides fascinating insights into the Blair-Brown conflict, the decision making that led to the Iraq war, the pressures on the Blair family and the fraught and febrile relationship between Number 10 and the media.

Genres: Politics

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perceptive insights across all aspects of Tony Blair’s decade as PM, from an outsider who was an insider too. This makes the book unusual. (Stylistically, writing it based on the closing months of the decade, with constant flash backs, makes the book harder work for the reader than necessary). All in all, still fascinating.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written book.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting overview of the Blair era at points, but if honest a very average read

[The Master · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very friendly overview of the Blair era. The author is married to one of Blair's closest advisors, which made me wonder how much "spin" worked its way into the book. To be fair, the author is very upfront about his marital connection.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written book about the politics and creation of the New Labour years. A brilliant in site but the author doesn't order the book chronologically or thematically so sometimes it can be confusing.