The long goodbye, the brisk hello. Tony Blair left Downing Street for the last time today, the culmination of a seven-week farewell tour that has seen him grandstanding around the world with everyone from Nelson Mandela to the Pope. The greatest actor-politician of his generation left the grand stage of the House of Commons with a flourish worthy of a Shakespearean tragi-hero. His last Commons appearance as PM was surprisingly jovial. When asked the traditional question about his duties that day, he replied: "I have had meetings with colleagues earlier today but have no further such meetings later today, or any other day."
"Au revoir, auf wiedersehen, arrivederci" was his response to Tory MP Sir Nicholas Winterton who unsuccessfully demanded a referendum on the new EU treaty. "I am really not bothered about that one" was Mr Blair's response, after a pause, to a questioner who asked about the possibility of the disestablishment of the Church of England, for the outgoing PM has been the subject of speculation that he might become a Roman Catholic. (Daily Mail)
