Is it likely that Blair alone, out of all Labour MPs, was the only one to realise the problems with removing the 10p band? And although Blair may be a "master politician", he's hardly known for being in command of actual facts. The last ten years showed him more likely to convince himself things were the way he wanted them to be, regardless of any facts that might get in the way.

The introduction and removal of the 10p band were done entirely for political effect and to wrong-foot the Tories. Like most of New Labour's actions, they were done for the appearance rather than out of principle. It's the same reason Brown went to Iraq during the last Tory conference. It's getting to the point where he soon won't be able to fool any of the people any of the time.

Martin Kettle wrote in the Guardian a few days ago that both Gordon Brown and Ed Balls told Tony Blair  - after he asked  - that only 25,000 would be effected by the removal of the 10p tax band.  It seems that either the numbers involved were calculated wrongly or Gordon and Ed lied.  I believe the latter as all my reading suggests that both men were extremely rude to Tony Blair and did their best to keep him out of so called treasury matters. 

I wrote to the Treasury last year as well as many MPs advising that I personally would be affected by the loss of the 10p rate (aged 60-64)  The replies were offensive and I was treated as if I was a moron.  This treatment continues as I listen to  the ghastly Yvette Cooper trying to justify the policy and being unable to clarify remedial action.   I therefore knew that once implemented there would be a public outcry which would be very damaging.  We now see how damaging with the latest YouGov poll and the likely consequences at next weeks local elections.   All down to the PM.  What a nightmare.

Tony Blair would have to rely on his Chancellor for accurate figures.  Kevin Maguire has been providing snippets from John Prescott's soon to be published book.  He says there was a deal between the two.  John Prescott apparently condemns Tony Blair for not discussing reshuffles with Gordon Brown!  If true I find it astonishing that in a democracy "deals" are done to hand over leadership of  a party and that a PM can be criticised for not discussing reshuffles.  It seems that both men can be accused of a total disregard for party membership never mind the PLP.

However, after so many years of plotting and planning to take over the leadership with the belief that one has the right to do so, what a mess he is making of it.  Regardless of his new PR team, I somehow find it difficult to believe that he can recover from this calamitous 12 months.

Yes I agree. Tony Blair is also to blame for the starving children in Africa, the failure to find a cure for cancer and is the sole reason why we don't have eternal youth and everlasting beauty.

When the four horsemen of the Apocolypse appear on the horizon, that will be Tony Blair's fault too.

What a nasty, evil wicked man he is. How dare he intimidate poor, gentle Mr. Brown and force him to raise taxes for the poor. Shame on him.

The point i was trying to get across was that....why did two labour leaders not take issue with regressive taxation of poorer earners? Its not labour, ergo...there must have been some funny business at work.

If Brown and Balls were really as mean as the rumours suggest....would it be beyond blair? Putting politics before party....

Blair was one of the the best prime minister we have had, minus the iraq decision. I would have much prefered blair remain....

i expect tony blair only got to hear about the 10p rate being scrapped on budget day like the rest of us. as gordon is constantly announcing something today that won't happen till next year and then reannouncing something as new today that actually happened last year, then bliar was probably as confused as the rest of us.