I wish I'd kept a diary - Blair

12 April 2012

Prime Minister Tony Blair has revealed that he does not keep a diary - but wishes he had.

The news will raise questions over the memoirs Mr Blair is expected to write after he leaves 10 Downing Street later this year.

Publishers are believed to be queuing up to get their hands on what will be one of the biggest political books of the decade, potentially earning millions of pounds for Mr Blair.

But they now know that he will not have the benefit of a detailed record of his private thoughts, discussions and feelings to draw on when recreating the story of his 10 years in office.

The revelation came during a podcast interview with actor and comedian Stephen Fry recorded by Mr Blair for broadcast on the 10 Downing Street website www.pm.gov.uk.

Asked whether he wrote a diary, the PM responded simply: "No, I don't."

Fry pointed out that Mr Blair at least has a record of his working life in his official diary to help him when writing his memoirs, and he replied: "I know, but I often wish I had the discipline to keep one."

Mr Blair said he had not given much thought to what he would do when he leaves office, which he has said he will do before September this year.

"The trouble is, when you are doing the job you are so much in it ... you don't have time really to think ahead," he said. "But as the time approaches I will have to, so I will."

But he left no doubt he would not be reforming his student rock band Ugly Rumours, telling Fry: "I think that would be very bad news for music in general and popular music in particular."

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