Yes, I did have to struggle very hard to get this [the vote on the Iraq war] through, but the reason I did it was because I thought it was the right thing to do. I didn't take this on myself... just because I thought, 'Let's give myself a really hard time for a couple of years!'

Tony Blair

Categorized in : War Struggle Couple

I want my son to grow up in a place where the people are more powerful than the government and not the other way around.

growing-up powerful son

The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very ea... by Tony Blair

The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.

leadership motivational art

Global warming is too serious for the world any longer to ignore its danger or split into opposing factions on it.

splits politics world

Well, we definitely need a strong and clear and assertive America. That's for sure. But you've always got to build alliances. And so it's very important that we are able to build those alliances. And where we don't do what in a way to extremists want us to do, which is to make this into a battle between the West and Islam - it's not. This isn't a clash between civilizations. It's about whether the values of tolerance and respect for difference prevail.

differences strong civilization

My teachers used to call me a failure by Tony Blair

My teachers used to call me a failure

call-me used teacher

Education, education, education by Tony Blair

Education, education, education

Politics is about listening and it's about leading. by Tony Blair

Politics is about listening and it's about leading.

listening

People always think American politics is very different, but usually it is a predictor of what happens in the politics elsewhere.

different people thinking

Anywhere, anytime ordinary people are given the chance to choose, the choice is the same: freedom, not tyranny; democracy, not dictatorship; the rule of law, not the rule of the secret police.

choices law people

I believe Mrs. Thatcher's emphasis on enterprise was right. by Tony Blair

I believe Mrs. Thatcher's emphasis on enterprise was right.

emphasis business believe

One of the paradoxes of globalization is that, in the developing world, we've seen massive reductions in property.

globalization paradox world

I say the elite looks out of touch because it's kind of saying; look we'll manage all this for you. You know, we know best. We'll sort it all out for you. And then because people believe that doesn't meet their case for change and they want real change, social media and the way the relationship between people can come into a sense of belonging very quickly, that then is itself a revolutionary phenomenon. You see this around the world.

media real believe

September 11 was, and remains, above all an immense human tragedy. But September 11 also posed a momentous and deliberate challenge not just to America but to the world at large. The target of the terrorists was not only New York and Washington but the very values of freedom, tolerance and decency which underpin our way of life.

new-york challenges america

Education is the best economic policy there is. by Tony Blair

Education is the best economic policy there is.

economic-policy economic policy

No one is to blame for the breakdown in trust between politics, m... by Tony Blair

No one is to blame for the breakdown in trust between politics, media and the public.

breakdown blame media

I think people think their incomes have been flat lining for a long period of time. They feel that the next generation's opportunities are not going to be improvement. So and I also think that social media then allows insurgent movements to gain scale at speed.

media opportunity thinking

I want to see a publicly-owned railway, publicly accountable. by Tony Blair

I want to see a publicly-owned railway, publicly accountable.

railway want

You know, one of the things I've learnt since coming out of office is how much easier it is to give the advice than take the decision. I mean, you know, it's tough.

office giving mean

Of particular importance to us is the recognition... that what we want is a Europe of nations, not a federal super-state.

recognition want europe

I think the center ground have got to become the people of change again and not the guardians of the status quo. And that is the weakness it comes to in our campaign. You can see it in your politics, you can see it everywhere.

weakness people thinking