Tony Blair: the celebrities who added glamour to Labour
Mr Blair was criticised in office for his fondness for pleasing stars from the worlds of television, film, music and sport.
His book makes no reference to some of his best-known brushes with celebrity, including the 1997 ”Cool Britannia” reception at Downing Street attended by Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher.
But it does contain a hesitant defence of Labour’s use of endorsements by famous faces under his leadership.
Mr Blair writes: ”To this day, I’m never sure of the effect the celebrity thing has. I do not dismiss it, as some do.
”When you are trying to capture the mood – and this is more often so for a progressive party – celebs can reinforce, even boost the message.
”They add some glamour and excitement to what can often be a dreary business.
”What they cannot do, of course, is substitute for the politics. In fact, if they try to, they become immediately counterproductive.
”If they start lecturing the people as to why or how they should vote, it’s almost always a disaster.
”They clearly do not determine the outcome, but properly used, they help. And frankly, given the difficulty in rousing the damn thing, we needed the help.”
The book records how, from his earliest days in politics, Mr Blair instinctively felt his party needed to use popular culture.
After a concert by the 1980s Red Wedge collective of Labour-supporting musicians, including Paul Weller and Billy Bragg, he recalled that he said: ”We need to reach the people listening to Duran Duran and Madonna.”
He notes that this comment went down ”like a cup of sick” at the time.
By the 2001 election Labour had ”celebrities out in abundance”, which ”added some spice”, Mr Blair writes.
They included Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, Welsh singer Charlotte Church, soprano Lesley Garrett, Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall, veteran actor Sir John Mills and stars of Coronation Street and EastEnders.
Mr Blair, a Newcastle United fan, also recalls a 1995 photocall with then-manager Kevin Keegan and his attempts 10 years later to persuade Spanish superstar Raul to join the team.
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Submited at Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 7:00 am on Celebrity by McField
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