Tony Blair is deluding himself on a ‘De Gaulle-style comeback’

Tony Blair has made a tentative return to the heart of British politics by offering Matt Hancock strategic advice on the vaccine rollout. But does the former prime minister’s ambition stretch further than this? More than a decade after leaving office, Blair is said to keen on a ‘De Gaulle style comeback’. For Blair’s critics, it’s an apt comparison. De Gaulle was the so-called ‘father of Europe’, who led Free France during the war years of the Vichy government. He later disappeared into the political wilderness after 1946 before staging a dramatic return a little over a decade later, eventually becoming president for ten years. So could Blair emulate De Gaulle?

You can see why Blair might be keen on a comeback. Whatever you think of him, it’s not unreasonable to see Blair as something of a political heavyweight compared to some of the politicians who have led our political parties since he left office.