Tribute to Michael Foot

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair pays tribute to the former Labour leader, who died last week

by Tony Blair
Friday, March 12th, 2010

The Labour Party owes a substantial debt of honour to Michael Foot. He led our party at a time when it was hardly capable of being led. Michael’s leadership should be remembered for his essential decency, honesty and integrity.

There is an enduring affection, respect and admiration felt for him, not least by the labour movement. He was a legendary orator, a thoughtful historian and a brilliant writer.

His words made an impression far beyond politics.

I will always be grateful for the help and support he gave me after we first campaigned together at the Beaconsfield by-election. We met in a pub and I started asking him about PG Wodehouse, an interest we shared. It wasn’t a typical Labour leader meets Labour candidate moment. It was also his support which stood me in very good stead when I sought the Sedgefield nomination about a year later.

Although in some ways Michael was never best suited to lead the party organisation when it was in such turmoil in the early 1980s, he was and remains an inspirational leader for the party’s values and beliefs. It was Michael’s leadership at the toughest of times which meant the Labour Party survived and went on to lead our country again. We owe him a debt of honour and an honoured place in the history of our party.

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About The Author

Tony Blair was prime minister between 1997 and 2007
  • Nathan P. Bridle

    I have been amazed by the barrage of articles on the internet about Michael Foot. I would not say that the the majority were tributes to him, for they were just replicating the same run of the mill details.

    Tribune has along with a few individuals given a real tribute, a proper tribute- to a man who represented the best things in a human being, and the most honourable things in a politician.

    I knew Michael Foot very slightly indeed, but he treated a young upstart like me; with courtesy and respect. More than that his wonderfully untamed enthusiasm for literature, and more particularly individual authors has introduced me to William Hazlitt, George Otto Trevelyan and many other gems I now dearly love.

    Thank you for this tribute, and thank you Michael Foot for all you did and all you were.

  • Nathan P. Bridle

    I have been amazed by the barrage of articles on the internet about Michael Foot. I would not say that the the majority were tributes to him, for they were just replicating the same run of the mill details.

    Tribune has along with a few individuals given a real tribute, a proper tribute- to a man who represented the best things in a human being, and the most honourable things in a politician.

    I knew Michael Foot very slightly indeed, but he treated a young upstart like me; with courtesy and respect. More than that his wonderfully untamed enthusiasm for literature, and more particularly individual authors has introduced me to William Hazlitt, George Otto Trevelyan and many other gems I now dearly love.

    Thank you for this tribute, and thank you Michael Foot for all you did and all you were.

  • Robert

    Yes I go along with that when I met him he was a nice bloke and his belief he wore on his sleeve for all to see, if you did not agree with him fine, but you always knew that he was above board honest and straight forward, unlike the bunch of creeps we have to day, who’s beliefs last about five minutes and can change like the wind or the political polls.

  • Robert

    Yes I go along with that when I met him he was a nice bloke and his belief he wore on his sleeve for all to see, if you did not agree with him fine, but you always knew that he was above board honest and straight forward, unlike the bunch of creeps we have to day, who’s beliefs last about five minutes and can change like the wind or the political polls.

  • http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2010/03/12/blair-on-foot/ Blair on Foot « Tribune

    [...] interesting to see what Tony Blair had to say about Michael Foot. I think it is fair to say that, despite their initial romance over the [...]

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