Tony Blair announces his return to politics
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was plunging back into domestic politics in order to fight against Brexit, AFP reported, adding, Blair, who led the Labor Party from 1994 to 2007, will not be standing in the June 8 general election.
But he said he wanted to build a political movement to shape the policy debate as Britain starts its negotiations to leave the European Union.
Blair, 63, who was prime minister for a decade from 1997 and whose legacy has been defined by the Iraq war, said he knew he would face intense criticism for doing so. But the ardent Europhile, who has largely been working on Middle East and African issues since leaving office, still wanted to get his "hands dirty" and re-enter the fray, saying voters should have the chance to change their mind once the final EU exit deal becomes clear.
"This Brexit thing has given me a direct motivation to get more involved in the politics," he told the Daily Mirror newspaper.
"I don't want to be in the situation where we pass through this moment of history and I hadn't said anything because that would mean I didn't care about this country. I do.
He said his push was not about defying the vote to leave the European Union.
He said leaving the European single market and seeking a free trade agreement, as is Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May's intention, would be "relegating ourselves" from the top order.