Sir Tony Blair is back in the spotlight after his scathing criticism of Sir Keir Starmer‘s Government. The former prime minister’s intervention has brought back memories of the “New Labour” era when he ran the country.

It may have been many years ago, but some people think he could still do a better job than the current Prime Minister. A comeback by Sir Tony, who led Labour to three consecutive general election victories and left office in 2007, is highly unlikely. But if you had the chance, would you like to see him back in Number 10?

The ex-Labour leader has sparked debate with his 5,600-word essay warning that the Government has no plan for Britain.

It comes as the Prime Minister is fighting for his political future, with Andy Burnham eyeing a return to Parliament to challenge his leadership with the Makerfield by-election.

But Sir Tony warned against Labour lurching to the left or ousting Sir Keir without having a proper policy agenda to follow him.

The former premier, who left office in 2007, said: “The Labour Party is playing with fire; or, more accurately, with its future, and that of the country.”

He went on: “The Government’s principal problem isn’t Keir’s personality. Or a failure to communicate ‘our achievements’. Or a need to assert more strongly Labour’s ‘values’.

“It is because we don’t have a worked-out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world and are in the wrong political position from which we can devise one and win a second term.

“The Government is governing from an essentially traditional Labour ‘soft left’ position, parked firmly in the party’s comfort zone.”

He said Labour had held back business and growth since it won the 2024 general election and blasted policies including the employers’ national insurance tax raid, the workers’ rights overhaul and minimum wage hike.

He also called for Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s net zero targets to be abandoned, welfare to be slashed and the state pension triple lock ditched.

But Sir Keir rejected Sir Tony’s criticism of his policies, saying he had been “vindicated” by their results.

Meanwhile, Mr Burnham criticised him for not mentioning inequality, later adding that Sir Tony’s government had done “may great things” but failed to “take us off the direction set by (Margaret) Thatcher”.