Readers have responded strongly to Tony Blair's recent essay attacking Labour's current leadership and policies, with many calling for the former prime minister to remain silent. In letters to the editor, correspondents argue that Blair's interventions undermine the party while pushing it further to the right, and question his motives given his lucrative post-premiership career.
Fred Pickering from Derbyshire writes that Blair's utterances have been unhelpful since he entered his 'messianic phase', and asks whether the millions he has earned by leveraging his former office will protect his grandchildren from climate change if net zero ambitions are abandoned. Pickering also criticises Blair's advocacy for closer ties with Donald Trump, recalling the Iraq War.
Bill Jackson from Nottingham highlights that Blair's institute is funded by private billionaires and the Saudi Arabian government, suggesting his policy prescriptions—such as cutting welfare and removing restrictions on oil and gas—serve his sponsors rather than the public. Jackson asserts that Blair belongs firmly to the right of the political spectrum, prioritising wealth creation for an elite.
Ed Matthew of E3G, Areeba Hamid of Greenpeace UK, and other environmental leaders jointly argue that Blair's call to exploit all North Sea oil and gas reserves ignores that fossil fuel dependence threatens economic stability. They note that further licensing will not lower bills, as prices are set internationally, and that clean power is cheap power. They question Blair's true allegiance given his institute's fossil fuel funding.
Another reader, who did not provide a name, challenges Blair's assumption that the public only cares about personal costs, stating that many understand sacrifices are needed to save the planet. The reader insists that citizens should not be defined solely as consumers.
