Blair to be new Labour adviser

Tony Blair, the former prime minister, is to advise the opposition Labour party on the Olympic legacy, it emerged here Thursday. Blair is to take his most active part in the Labour party since retiring from frontline politics, contributing ideas and experience to party leader Ed Miliband's policy review, the British media reported. Blair, who stepped down as prime minister five years ago, will be giving advice on the Olympic legacy and in particular how to "maximise both its economic and its sporting legacies", Miliband has confirmed. The role reflects Blair's part in the successful 2005 bid to host the Games and his sporting foundation, one of the key charitable causes in his retirement. Blair will be reunited with leftwinger Jon Cruddas, a former aide, who was brought in by Miliband to head the policy review. Cruddas spoke recently of "reforming the band" - bringing together leading lights of New Labour - in support of Miliband. The controversial move - perhaps especially within the Labour party - was announced at a fundraising event when Miliband and Blair symbolically shared a platform to make speeches last night. Miliband, who was more closely allied to Gordon Brown during the 13 years of Labour government, declared that Blair's help for the party marked a "coming together of the Labour tribe". The Labour leader said the party could learn three lessons from its most electorally successful prime minister. These were the importance of unity; the importance of evolving new ideas for new times; and the importance of winning to ensure that Labour does not allow the people whom its MPs are elected to serve are not abandoned. Miliband also praised Blair's role in helping the UK win the right to host the Olympics this summer. It was, said Miliband, "one of the many proud achievements of the governments that Tony led: saving the state-funded the National Health Service, rebuilding our schools and cutting crime". The joint appearance was organised by Alastair Campbell, Blair's media adviser for his first six years as PM. For its part, the Guardian newspaper said today that with much of his own party - and the country - still angry about the legacy of Blair's decision to take Britain into the Iraq war, and Labour's clear departure from socialism under his reign, Miliband will be aware that Blair's new role will not be universally welcomed. As well as his political legacy, Blair remains controversial in retirement for his globetrotting activities and the vast sums of money he has made, including relationships with Portland Communications, which has advised the government of Russia, and the investment bank JP Morgan Chase, the paper added.