Tony Blair announces his resignation

It wasn't unexpected, but today Tony Blair announced he would be standing down as leader of the Labour Party and so as Prime Minister. He arrived in Downing Street on 2 May 1997, and I remember being at home as I am now to follow the media coverage. Then I had just returned from a trip to Australia, and was sitting in my parents' living room watching the triumphant scenes as Blair arrived. Today I was sitting on the edge of our bed putting my make-up on, listening to Tony Blair's speach from his Sedgfield constituency and it struck a chord when he talked about the straight choice in the 1970s between liberal and conservative values, and how he didn't believe that looking out for others should be at the cost of economic growth. His decade in power has been my 'first' decade as an adult. I graduated in 1996, and in December 1997 I accepted my first 'proper' job. Since then I have moved out of my parental home, trained to be a teacher, married and obviously now have baby Elizabeth. I should remember that in 1996 when there was no minimum wage I was working for £3 an hour at Shifnal Cottage Nursing home. Grim work. I have benefitted from the Labour Government's policies in several ways. Unfortunately I missed out (just) on the nine month paid maternity leave entitlement which came into force this April, but may benefit from it in future. Although we are definitely struggling financially I am grateful that in this challenging climate we managed to get our foot on the housing ladder in a nice area, and feel that we are making the right choices for Elizabeth and her future. I was supportive of Tony Blair's stance with regards to Iraq at the time, and don't believe he could have done anything differently, although I know this is the one thing he will be judged on. He has been a great Prime Minister. Lots of people are sceptical of him, thinking that he is arrogant, insincere and so forth, but I genuinely think he is a great man. He is a religious man, and is driven to do the 'right thing', and he is a family man and he has come from a humble background. He made an excellent speech today. I will be very sad to see him go. Elizabeth slept through his speech. It is strange to imagine her learning about Tony Blair in her history books in years to come!