Portrait of Tony Blair
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Tony Blair on Corbyn

Vocal critic (strong) Position evolved

TL;DR

Tony Blair strongly urged Labour members to abandon Jeremy Corbyn's ideology, viewing it as misguided and electorally fatal for the party's future.

Key Points

  • In December 2019, he urged Labour members to abandon Jeremy Corbyn's "misguided ideology" to prevent the party from being finished.

  • He previously admitted in February 2016 that he struggled to understand the appeal of Corbyn due to concerns over electability.

  • Blair characterized the Corbyn leadership as a "glorified protest movement" that was "utterly incapable of being a credible government."

Summary

Tony Blair has been a vocal and consistent critic of Jeremy Corbyn, particularly following the Labour Party's significant electoral defeat in the 2019 general election. The former Prime Minister asserted that if Corbyn's "far left" wing remained in charge, the Labour Party would be "finished" as a serious political force capable of governing. Blair described the resulting politics under Corbyn as a "glorified protest movement with cult trimmings, utterly incapable of being a credible government," which he linked to the party's worst result since 1935. He further characterized Corbyn's platform as a combination of misguided ideology and incompetence, especially regarding Brexit and foreign policy stances.

Earlier in Corbyn's leadership, Blair had expressed bafflement, admitting he struggled to grasp the popularity of Corbyn and similar left-wing figures like Bernie Sanders due to concerns over their electability and what he saw as impractical policy promises. This criticism implies an evolution from initial incomprehension to active campaigning against the Corbynite direction, with the former leader warning that Labour must renew itself as a serious competitor or face permanent marginalization. His position consistently centered on the idea that Corbyn's politics lacked the necessary self-discipline and pragmatism required to win power and implement change for the people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tony Blair has taken a strongly critical stance on Jeremy Corbyn, viewing his political ideology as misguided and fatal to Labour's chances of winning power. He has repeatedly called for the party to reject the left-wing direction Corbyn represented to ensure the party's survival.

Yes, his position evolved from initial confusion and concern about electability in 2016 to outright condemnation after the 2019 election. He moved from expressing bafflement over the movement's rise to urging its complete abandonment by the party membership.

The former Prime Minister described Corbyn's leadership as embodying a form of quasi-revolutionary socialism, which he felt lacked the pragmatism needed for government. He specifically criticized the ideology and "utter incompetence" that led to Labour's 2019 electoral collapse.