Today Tony stands down as Prime Minister. History will judge Tony Blair as one of the most successful British Prime Ministers in modern times.  Whilst the problems in Iraq dominate much of the current debate, time will allow a more rounded view.

His inheritance from the Tories was a country marginalised abroad, with an unstable economy, rising crime and run down public services.

Unemployment, inflation and interest rates are down, and investment is up thanks to the great stability in the economy.  Overall crime is down and police numbers are up and a bigger uniformed presence on our streets from community support officers.  Gone are the days of outside loos in schools and only a third getting five good GCSEs including English and Maths.  No more waiting 24 hours on trolleys in accident and emergency, no more two year waits for operations, no more winter flu crisis.  We have seen the biggest investment in new schools and hospitals since the Victorian era.

Tony Blair’s domestic inheritance is therefore to have delivered huge investment and improvement in our public services funded by unprecedented economic growth.  He has delivered on improved social justice through policies like the minimum wage, more child care and the pension credit.

Our challenges are now more global.  Climate change, migration, poverty in Africa and terrorism need international solutions.  His interventions in Kosovo and Sierra Leone were hugely successful, in Iraq and Afghanistan they have proved more difficult.  His leadership of the G8 in 2005 began the process of engaging the US on climate change, and made important agreements to Make Poverty History.  He has raised Britain’s standing in the world.

Whilst we will miss Tony, we are now in for an exciting period of change under Gordon. 

I was hugely impressed by his speech at the weekend http://www.labour.org.uk/gordon_brown__leader_of_the_labour_party, we have interesting times ahead.