Blair defends his leadership style

13 April 2012

Prime Minister Tony Blair has mounted a strong defence of his leadership style, saying the era of "tribal" politics was over.

He said he is still worried about "not being radical enough" in his approach to policy, and said resistance to change came just as much from the left as from the right.

He also insisted he would not change his stance on foreign policy, calling for a battle of ideas to combat global terrorism.

Mr Blair, addressing a gathering of executives from publisher Rupert Murdoch's Newscorp organisation at the luxury Californian resort of Pebble Beach, said: "I am sometimes taken to task for being too ambitious in the radical nature of the policy changes I am seeking. I always have the opposite worry: not being radical enough."

The Prime Minister said issues such as mass migration, national identity and protectionism in trade now dominated the world agenda.

"Mass migration requires rules. Biometric technology means that countries are increasingly insisting on biometric visas, which in turn mean biometric passports. A biometric ID card is a short step away. It is, to me at least, almost incredible that the proposal to introduce an identity register in the UK should be so extraordinarily controversial - but it is."

Mr Blair said the policy implications for world leaders of the challenges they now face were "huge".

He went on: "They confuse natural supporters, and as a result the resistance is strong."

On the theme of his speech - leadership - Mr Blair insisted: "Political leaders have to back their instinct and lead. The media climate will often be harsh. Non-governmental organisations and pressure groups with single causes can be benevolent, but can also exercise a kind of malign tyranny over the public debate.

"For a leader - don't let your ego be carried away by the praise or your spirit diminished by the criticism, and look on each with a very searching eye. But for heaven's sake, above all else, lead."

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