The end

Having seen ex-Prime Minister, Tony Blair's final PMQs and the rest of the day’s events unfold, you can only conclude this has been the strangest of power handovers.  Not many PMs could claim to go out on a standing ovation from Parliament (not sure even Churchill got that treatment).  It also emphasises how this moment has been in the making since the last Labour conference (if not much longer).  A strange sense of the inevitable mixed with the unknown.  Tony Blair has this incredible ability to leave you with nothing but admiration for him when he delivers one his speeches, even if you are his biggest critic, which explains why all sides of the house rose to their feet at 12.30 this afternoon. Who else would have got away with, or even thought of answering a question from Lib Dem MPRichard Younger-Ross with the classic line "-I don't think I can be bothered with that one-" before promptly sitting back down.  I bet he wishes he could have used that line when asked about Iraq in the past.  Today's performance summed up what is best about Blair - combining wit with brilliantly clever responses.  How many times was he beaten at that despatch box over the past ten years?  You could probably count the number of times on your fingers.

I said in my earlier post that Blair could have been the greatest post war Prime Minister; well I do not think history will judge him as that, but I would have to say it may well judge him as our most impressive post war politician.