Gordon Brown is by all accounts socially awkward, outside of a close clan, bad-tempered, suspicious and constantly plotting. In other words, he’s a professional politician, in a position of great strain.
Tony Blair
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: Tony Blair’s very ordinary madness
For Tony Blair, by his own account, the crucial fact of 9/11 was not whether or not there had been any connection between Iraq and Al-Qaeda, but that the combination of dictatorial viciousness and an appetite for lethal weapons was something that could no longer be ignored.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: Who’ll throw a shoe at Tony Blair?
With the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war moving inexorably towards the headline act — Tony Blair’s second appearance in the witness stand is on Friday — there is something of a dark carnival atmosphere around London.
George Monbiot puts a price on Tony Blair’s head
British writer and activist George Monbiot reckons Tony Blair should be tried for war crimes. So he’s launched an online campaign and is willing to pony up £100 to anyone who attempts a citizen’s arrest.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: Jack Straw takes the stand, Chilcot becomes the new Watergate
Today Jack Straw took the stand at the Chilcot Inquiry, the first currently serving cabinet member so to do – and promptly landed his erstwhile leader, Mr Tony, even further in it.
Advice from Malcolm Tucker: here’s how to do it, Lachlan
The poisonous political strategist Malcolm Tucker from In The Loop puts his spin on some all too familiar Australian political scenarios. A pollie who screams at an air hostess? He’s a terrorist-fighting hero.
Blair’s secret Iraq notes to Bush
Tony Blair sent secret letters to George Bush in 2002 promising British support for military action in Iraq, former Downing St spin doctor Alastair Campbell has told the Chilcot Inquiry.
A Christmas Carol for Gordon Brown
On Christmas Eve, Gordon Brown is visited at Downing Street by three spirits and the spectre of Tony Blair. Bah, humbug!
Blair: I would have invaded Iraq anyway
An unrepentant Tony Blair says it was right to invade Iraq and dispose of Saddam Hussein even without evidence of weapons of mass destruction. So the cynics were right all along? asks Paul Reynolds.
Chilcot shines a light on Blair’s Iraq lies
A leaked contribution to the Chilcot Inquiry has revealed that Tony Blair deliberately misled parliament over his intentions in Iraq, writes Jeff Sparrow.
Is Tony Blair a war criminal?
With the Chilcot Inquiry into Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war soon to go public, one big question must be answered, says Oliver Miles: was this a war of aggression and therefore a war crime?
leaked 
Documents reveal Blair’s Iraq cover-up
Documents leaked to the Telegraph have revealed Tony Blair mislead British MPs in 2002 by claiming that his goal in invading Iraq was “disarmament, not regime change” and that the military action was unplanned.
Europe’s first President: Herman Van Rompuy
Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy has been named the first President of the European Union. Former British PM Tony Blair reportedly snared the job first, but bowed out to appease Europe’s centre-right majority.
The new EU President: meet the contenders
The European Union will announce its new President this week, following a rather sketchy closed-door process. HuffPo introduces the candidates and the bookies’ odds on their chances.
Downing Street plots to buy Blair’s way into the EU Presidency
British PM Gordon Brown is planning to buy off Angela Merkel and Nikolas Sarkozy’s votes for the European Union Presidency by offering them big jobs within the Union should Tony Blair get up.
Independent: Why Blair won’t get our vote (again)
UK paper The Independent says it won’t support Tony Blair as a candidate for the Presidency of the European Union: “When the choice between Britain’s relationship with America and its relationship with the rest of Europe became unfudgeable, Mr Blair chose America”.
Tony Blair: Europe’s first President?
Now Ireland has ratified the Lisbon Treaty, former British PM Tony Blair has all but shored up the support needed to become the first President of the European Union, inside sources tell the Times
Blair’s mission from God rings hollow
Former British PM Tony Blair continued his Mission from God last week with a star-billing at a conference at the Vatican. Too bad his actions in office don’t coincide with his Catholic principles.
How the US nearly destroyed a UK terror investigation
Did the Bush administration lose its nerve in 2006 and nearly cause a whole UK investigation of terror suspects (who were planning an attack “bigger than 9/11”) to fall apart? Andy Hayman of the Metropolitan Police says yes.
Howard hits the headlines again
Former PM John Howard is back in the media again, thanks to Paul Kelly’s new book. So what have we learnt? Crikey takes a look at the revelations from Children Overboard to Hating Peter Costello.
Blair’s education plans do a full revolution
The government’s education revolution looks identical to failed policies introduced in Britain by ex-PM Tony Blair. The micro-managing of schools does not work.
Tony Blair’s EU Presidency bid stumbles at the first hurdle
Prime Minister Tony Blair’s conceited plan to resuscitate his political career to become the first President of Europe has been greeted with howls of anger and derision.
Britain pushes Blair for EU Presidency
After rejecting the Euro and backing Bush over Brussels, Tony Blair could become the first President of the European Union.
The end of the line for UK Labour?
The Thatcherite-lite experiment that began with Tony Blair has well and truly outstayed its welcome. The poor, as always, will continue to suffer.
New Labour takes U2 down with it
Bloated boom-era outfits U2 and New Labour have ploughed a parallel path to public irrelevancy, says John Harris.
