What Are The Similarities Between Margaret Thatcher And Tony Blair?

There are some striking similarities between the prime ministerial styles of Thatcher and Blair. Blair, like Thatcher, has been described as a 'conviction politician'. Secondly, the two PM's share a common approach. Blair's premiership has been described as being characterised by 'strong leadership' and 'charismatic control'. Thirdly, Blair has been described as 'the most commanding of premiers' as has Thatcher. Finally, like Thatcher, Blair has shown the ability to shake off crises.

It should also be noted that Blair's style of leadership is distinctive. For example, some argue that Blair has been much more comfortable about apologising for mistakes made, which was not the style of Thatcher's leadership. This is despite Tony Blair's refusal to apologise for controversial policies such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also said that Blair has shown a willingness to experiment with a wide range of methods and approaches to policy making and advice. Thatcher did not experiment in this way.