Blair’s Diana moment

Thinking back to the events of ten years ago, it is quite remarkable how Blair’s statement grabbed the mood of the nation. Watch this clip and note how Martin Lewis, who up to that point had been sombre but not grief-stricken, choked up summarising Blair’s remarks. 

In time the public came to resent Blair for his ability to read its mood and steer it but it is remarkable the extent to which he possessed this skill. One of the odd things about watching The Queen is how the Queen Mother’s cynicism about Blair’s emotionalism that in 1997 seemed to sum up how out of touch the Royals were, now strikes a chord with a cynical, post-Iraq public.