Cherie Blair's Stark Assessment of Husband's Final Days in Power
In a revealing new Channel 4 documentary, Cherie Blair has delivered a candid and personal critique of her husband Sir Tony Blair's state of mind as he prepared to leave Downing Street after a decade as Prime Minister. Mrs Blair asserts that by 2007, Sir Tony had fundamentally "lost contact with reality" due to the intense, insulated existence of leading the country from the notorious "goldfish bowl" of Number 10.
The Psychological Toll of a Decade in Downing Street
Speaking directly to the camera, Cherie Blair elaborated on the profound disconnect that can develop. "Your skill as a politician is about knowing about the people and living with the people and understanding what the people want," she stated. "Ten years of living in the goldfish bowl, you kind of lose contact with reality." She further observed that Sir Tony, the longest-serving Labour Prime Minister in British history, possessed a unique ability to "make people think they hear what they want to hear," a comment that hints at the complex dynamics of his political communication.
The documentary, a three-part series titled 'The Tony Blair Story', also features Sir Tony himself reflecting on the immense burden of office. "One of the things you learn is that ultimately you sit in the seat. You've got to take the decision," he remarks, acknowledging the solitary nature of ultimate responsibility.
Insider Accounts of Isolation and Conviction
The programme gathers testimony from those closest to the former Prime Minister, painting a multifaceted portrait. His former spin doctor, Alastair Campbell, recounts a poignant, late-night scene in Downing Street following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. "It was one of those moments when I wished I could paint. It was an absolute portrait in the isolation of power," Campbell describes, adding that Sir Tony possessed "real energy and restlessness."
The Blair children—Euan, Kathryn, and Leo—also appear, offering a rare family perspective on his premiership. The documentary trailer includes clips from other notable figures, with broadcaster Andrew Neil discussing the "whole obsession with spin" and former Chancellor George Osborne noting that "people lost faith in what government was telling them." Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn offers a blunt assessment, stating, "I think he's a man in denial."
A Comprehensive Look at a Defining Political Era
Series director Michael Waldman, writing in the Radio Times, promises an unprecedented level of access and introspection. He notes that Sir Tony's "self-assurance rarely cracks, even when interrogated about what many view as his gravest mistake, the invasion of Iraq." Despite this, Waldman claims the film reveals "a level of emotion and psychological introspection that's rarely been seen on camera." He underscores Cherie Blair's observations, stating her words about losing touch with reality are "words that, perhaps, anyone in power should heed."
The documentary ambitiously charts Sir Tony Blair's entire political arc, from his unexpected rise to Labour leader after John Smith's death in 1994—including how he persuaded Gordon Brown not to run—to his landslide 1997 victory. It examines his pivotal work in Northern Ireland and Kosovo, and the crucial, controversial relationship with US President George W. Bush forged in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, leading to military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
High-profile contributors like former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice provide international context. The series concludes by exploring his forced departure from leadership in 2007 and succession by Gordon Brown, framing it as the endpoint of a transformative yet divisive chapter in British politics. The narrator concludes by inviting viewers to examine "the full account in his words and featuring those closest to him," with Sir Tony himself issuing a final challenge: "Make your own judgment."
