Blairite

A Blairite is someone who supports the policies and approach of Tony Blair, leader of the British Labour Party and, arguably, the centre of the most influental current in social democracy since Willy Brandt's ostpolitik.

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In domestic British politics a Blairite might be seen as someone who supports both additional spending and substantial reform of the public services - a term that might (at least at one time) have been described as the politics of the third way. Often this is seen in contrast to the more traditional approach alleged to be favoured by Gordon Brown, Blair's Chancellor of the Exchequer. However, it is reasonable to assume that many of the alleged differences between the two men are about questions of tone rather than of substance - Brown is a firm supporter of the private finance initiative for instance.

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Internationally, Blairism can be seen as aggressively interventionist towards failed states and on questions of human rights and international terrorism. Blair either instigated or supported UK military involvement in Sierra Leone, Kosovo and Iraq - all of which, to greater or lesser extents, proved controversial in the UK istelf.

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In the party he leads, Labour, Blair will, if nothing else, be remembered as the man who led them to three successive victories in general elections. Blairism might also be described as a populist social democratic movement.

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Tony Blair: The Right Honourable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. He has led the Labour Party since July 1994, (following the death of John Smith in May of tha...

British Labour Party: REDIRECT Labour_Party_(UK)...

Social democracy: Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. It emphasises a program of gradual legisla...