David Blunkett has cast doubt on the relevance of Tony Blair's advice to the Labour Party, suggesting the former prime minister is 'stuck in his glory days' and out of touch with modern politics. Speaking after Blair's recent essay criticising Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting, Blunkett said the intervention risked provoking a counter-argument rather than influencing policy.
Blunkett, who served as a cabinet minister under Blair, said he could still have 'constructive disagreements' with his old boss. However, he noted that Blair's analysis missed a crucial element: the need for government to help people navigate technological change with dignity, rather than simply facilitating it. 'What was missing from Tony's essay was a recognition that government aren't just there to facilitate the Industrial Revolution, they're to facilitate people being able to live through it,' Blunkett said.
Blair's essay, published last week, urged Labour to embrace artificial intelligence, cut red tape, and prioritise relations with the US and China over human rights concerns. He also criticised the government's tax rises and minimum wage increase, and took aim at Burnham and Streeting over their past comments. The intervention was seen by some as a throwback to a previous era, with Blunkett suggesting Blair finds it hard to let go of his role on the global stage.
Despite the criticism, some Labour figures defended Blair's intervention. John Hutton, a former welfare secretary under Blair, called it 'timely' and said MPs should pay attention to his 'persuasive and compelling' argument. However, polling by More in Common suggests the public may not be receptive to Blair's message, with many voters viewing him as a figure from the past.
