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| Blair to rally Labour supporters | Blair to rally Labour supporters |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Tony Blair is to enter the pre-election fray when he addresses party supporters in his old constituency. | Tony Blair is to enter the pre-election fray when he addresses party supporters in his old constituency. |
| The former prime minister will give a speech on Tuesday in the Sedgefield constituency which he represented as an MP for 24 years. | The former prime minister will give a speech on Tuesday in the Sedgefield constituency which he represented as an MP for 24 years. |
| Newspaper reports have suggested Mr Blair will make several appearances during the campaign, in a strategy endorsed by his successor Gordon Brown. | Newspaper reports have suggested Mr Blair will make several appearances during the campaign, in a strategy endorsed by his successor Gordon Brown. |
| Mr Blair led Labour to three successive general election victories. | Mr Blair led Labour to three successive general election victories. |
| Rally support | |
| However, he remains a controversial figure after taking the UK to war in Iraq in 2003. | However, he remains a controversial figure after taking the UK to war in Iraq in 2003. |
| Appearing before the Chilcot inquiry into the war in January, Mr Blair said he had no regrets about removing Saddam Hussein from power, saying he was a "monster" and a threat to international peace. | |
| Mr Blair's speech on Tuesday will mark his first significant return to domestic politics since he left Number 10 in June 2007. | |
| Mr Blair is likely to use the speech to rally support for Labour ahead of the start of the election campaign, which Gordon Brown is expected to call next week. | |
| He is also likely to attack Conservative leader David Cameron, arguing that the Tories have not undergone the same fundamental change that Labour did under his leadership. | He is also likely to attack Conservative leader David Cameron, arguing that the Tories have not undergone the same fundamental change that Labour did under his leadership. |
| He wants to come and remind people of New Labour David HillFormer Labour communications director | |
| Labour sources say Mr Blair will highlight Mr Brown's "experience, judgement and boldness". | |
| On the economy, he will say the Labour government realised that "decisive action was necessary and urgent. Britain acted". | |
| He will add: "It required leadership. Gordon Brown supplied it." | |
| Although Mr Blair and Mr Brown had an often difficult relationship while they were prime minister and chancellor, the two campaigned alongside each other to secure victories in 1997, 2001 and 2005. | Although Mr Blair and Mr Brown had an often difficult relationship while they were prime minister and chancellor, the two campaigned alongside each other to secure victories in 1997, 2001 and 2005. |
| David Hill, former Labour communications director, told the BBC he believed Mr Blair would be an asset because he would appeal to key marginal voters. | |
| "There is a significant group of people who voted Labour for the first time in 1997 and continued voting Labour in 2001, and many of them did so again in 2005. | |
| "He has a special appeal to those people and he will be of immense value on the trail if for no other reason." | |
| Old allies | |
| Mr Hill added: "He wants to come and remind people of New Labour, of the fact that he and Gordon and Peter Mandelson were people who steered this thing which gave Labour such good victories." | |
| Mr Blair has largely steered clear of British politics since leaving office, focusing on his role as a Middle East envoy, the work of his faith foundation and speaking engagements around the world. | Mr Blair has largely steered clear of British politics since leaving office, focusing on his role as a Middle East envoy, the work of his faith foundation and speaking engagements around the world. |
| However, the former prime minister - who is to publish his autobiography in September - has been criticised by opposition MPs for taking on a number of lucrative advisory roles with foreign firms. | However, the former prime minister - who is to publish his autobiography in September - has been criticised by opposition MPs for taking on a number of lucrative advisory roles with foreign firms. |
| Several of Mr Blair's close allies while he was prime minister, such as Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and former communications director Alastair Campbell, are also playing a key role in the campaign. |