Blair Unbound

Overview

In June 2007, with his approval rating at an all-time low, Tony Blair stood down as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after more than a decade in office. In this riveting account, Anthony Seldon—a recognized expert of British politics—follows the career of Tony Blair starting from its pinnacle at September 11 right up to his handing of the reins over to his arch rival, Gordon Brown. The politics of the post-9/11 Blair government, its policies in Iraq and Afghanistan, its domestic actions, and the true nature ...

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Overview

In June 2007, with his approval rating at an all-time low, Tony Blair stood down as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after more than a decade in office. In this riveting account, Anthony Seldon—a recognized expert of British politics—follows the career of Tony Blair starting from its pinnacle at September 11 right up to his handing of the reins over to his arch rival, Gordon Brown. The politics of the post-9/11 Blair government, its policies in Iraq and Afghanistan, its domestic actions, and the true nature of Blair-Brown power struggle are all addressed. Based on hundreds of interviews with key government insiders and individuals close to the Blair camp—many of whom have previously kept their views private—this is the most complete, authoritative, and compelling account yet of the Blair premiership. Blair Unbound serves both as a fascinating “volume two” of this master class in political biography and as a highly revealing and compelling book in its own right.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

From its harrowing account of the events of September 11, 2001, to its elegant rendering of Tony Blair's final day at 10 Downing Street, this vibrant, richly detailed look at Blair's second and third terms as British prime minister makes for a riveting, if lengthy, read. Seldon has done a staggering amount of research in reconstructing Blair's tumultuous final years in office and surveying the significant domestic and foreign issues that dominated Blair's later years in office: the Iraq War, the London terrorist attacks, education reform, the Northern Ireland peace process and Blair's effort to push for the adoption of the euro, an issue about which he felt so strongly he may have been willing to sacrifice his political future to achieve his desired ends. The intricate, expansive text returns frequently to the increasingly fraught relationship between Blair and his successor, Gordon Brown, which was loaded with growing political and personal animosity. Aside from Brown, however, personal relationships and scandals play a secondary role in this page-turning political biography, an essential text for anyone interested in contemporary British politics. (June)

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Booklist

An outstanding work that strives successfully to explain the man and his administration.

The Wall Street Journal
A vivid portrait.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781847370785
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
  • Publication date: 4/28/2008
  • Pages: 688
  • Product dimensions: 6.00 (w) x 9.00 (h) x 2.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Anthony Seldon is the author of several books on the Tony Blair administration, including 10 Downing Street, Blair, Blair’s Britain, and The Blair Effect.

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Table of Contents

Introduction     ix
9/11     1
Finding His Theme     19
Riding Two Horses     47
The Road to Baghdad     80
'Make or Break' at Home     107
Confronting Saddam     135
Iraq: From Agonising to Vindication     172
Losing My Agenda     201
The Descent     232
The Recovery     263
Back in Charge     278
Crafting a Bold Future     302
General Election, 2005     331
Second Honeymoon     351
Promise Fades     382
Losing His Authority     415
Stirrings of Dissent     444
The September Coup     479
On a Knife Edge     500
To the Wire     529
Conclusion: The Long Farewell     554
Acknowledgements     585
Dramatis Personae     589
Note on Sources and Methodology     600
Notes     602
Bibliography     639
Index     644
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