Speaking to Geordie Greig, editor-in-chief of The Independent, the former prime minister said his ambition to gain power came directly from those tragic moments. He was aged 10 when his father was incapacitated and 22 when his mother died.
The former Labour leader declares as his new book, On Leadership, is published: âThe moment I saw what power was and what it could do, I wanted it.â
As well as providing a masterclass in how to wield power, it also reveals his personal faults and successes during his decade in No 10 as well as the next 17 years forming the Tony Blair Institute, which today has 1,000 staff and advises governments of more than 40 countries.
âPower should be based on a desire to do something that you believe as a matter of conviction and principle. But, if you are being honest the power itself is attractive. It doesnât mean you should pursue it at the expense of the principle, but your wanting to exercise leadership in the exercise of power is what goes with it,â he explains.
His motive when he was young, he says, was always âto change the world, to put principles into practice, to be respected and recognised as a person with power and to feel that power, to feel how it could shape my world around me as well as the world of othersâ.
The impact of his mother dying aged 52 and his fatherâs devastating stroke at 40 was profound. âI realised the fragility of everything, our life circumstances changed completely, our main source of income had gone. It was three years before dad could even speak again. It haunted me ever after and made me what I am,â he says.
âI remember my mother coming in that morning. Dad had come back from an event, late at night and I could tell immediately somethingâs wrong in the way that you do as a child. Then she explained that he was in hospital and had been seriously ill.
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Independent ã® September 08, 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Independent ã® September 08, 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
Joshua is 'willing to die' in Wembley battle of Britain
Anthony Joshua has insisted that he is ready to âgive everything to be victoriousâ against Daniel Dubois on Saturday, as the Britons clash at Wembley Stadium.
City's man for all occasions.could be named world No 1
Rodri may be first defensive midfielder to win Ballon d'Or
Liverpool overcome poor start to beat Milan in style
Another first for Arne Slot at Liverpool, and one that was much more significant than a debut win in this new Champions League.
Guardian parent company in talks to sell Observer
The Guardian Media Group (GMG) is in talks to sell The Observer newspaper to Tortoise Media, a news business launched in 2019 by a former BBC executive. The media giant is in exclusive discussions to sell the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.
'People can have a fantastic.second act. I'm living mine'
Actor and comic Omid Djalili is back for a fiery new stand-up tour. He tells Helen Coffey how he managed to channel rage into humour and why he's not leaving comedy to the young
Islamist party makes shock return to Kashmiri politics
Observers split on motivation of Jamaat-e-Islami, banned under terror laws and which boycotted elections for 30 years
US rapper charged with sex trafficking and racketeering
Sean \"Diddy\" Combs, the rapper and music mogul who has faced allegations of sexual abuse, was charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, according to a federal indictment unsealed yesterday.
Suspect in Trump shooting lurked for hours in bushes
The gunman accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump hid in the bushes of the former president's Florida golf club for almost 12 hours, according to officials.
'I am a rapist', says husband of sexually abused woman
A French man accused of drugging his wife and recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her over a decade has declared in court: âI am a rapist, like everyone else in this courtroom.â
Hezbollah vows to retaliate after pager attack kills nine
Officials in Lebanon and Syria blame Israel for the explosions