Latest News

Tony Blair: the importance of governance in the modern world

This article appeared on the Institute for Government website on 29th June 2010

Tony Blair addressed the Institute for Government on his experience in and out of office on the importance of governance in the modern world on Monday 28 June.

Blair welcomed the Institute as "a remarkable innovation and absolutely timely" and reflected on his time as Prime Minister. He gave ten lessons based on what he had learned from his ten years in government, and his work since:

0. Governance is a debate about efficiency rather than transparency
0. We are operating in a post-ideological politics
0. People want an empowering, not controlling state
0. The centre needs to drive, but not deliver, systemic change
0. Departments should be smaller, strategic and oriented around delivery
0. Systemic change is essential in today's world - as the private sector demonstrates
0. The best change and delivery begins with the right conceptual analysis
0. The best analysis is based on facts and interaction with the front line
0. The people you appoint matter dramatically - private sector skillsets are needed
0. Countries can learn from each other.

Following his speech, he was interviewed by Senior Fellow Peter Riddell and fielded questions from the audience.

Watch the video here