Tony Blair admits 'my politics may have had its day'

Tony Blair - credit PA

Tony Blair has admitted that his brand of politics may have “had its day”.

The stark assessment came in a discussion about the emergence of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK and Bernie Sanders in the US as new standard-bearers of the left. 

The former prime minister said politicians must offer practical solutions to people's concerns rather than just “riding the anger”.

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Speaking to Politico, Mr Blair said: “It’s a very open question whether the type of politics I represent really has had its day or not...

“There were times when I was growing up in politics and when I was prime minister when I had complete confidence in my own ability, just as a professional, to predict the course of politics. The last few years have caused me to question [that].”

He offered the success of Hillary Clinton in holding off the insurgent Mr Sanders to win the Democratic presidential nomination, however, as evidence that centrist solutions to concerns raised by globalisation were still possible.

“I'm re-evaluating the whole time but I haven't come to the conclusion that centrist politics is wrong or dead,” Mr Blair added.

“I think it's very much alive but it needs to be given a renewal, a revival, and a muscularity which it presently lacks.”