Blair's 'behind the scenes' influence over Starmer revealed as ally admits his 'biggest weapon'
One of Tony Blair's allies has admitted the 'behind the scenes" influence the former PM has on Sir Keir Starmer
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One of Tony Blair's allies has admitted the 'behind the scenes" influence the former PM has on Sir Keir Starmer.
John McTernan, a former political adviser to the ex-Labour politician admitted the two leaders have a "real chemistry" between them.
He told GB News that many Labour leaders "want to have nothing to do with Tony", but said that Starmer is the "first Labour leader to build on Tony's legacy".
The political strategist and commentator also explained what he believes to be Starmer's "biggest weapon" - the Labour leader's "stability" in power.
WATCH NOW: Starmer addresses the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool
Starmer, who is gearing up to fight the next election, appears to have an increasingly close relationship with the ex-PM.
While McTernan - who served as Blair's Director of Political Operation - denied that tsway over the party is "transactional", he admitted that the former PM has influence over Starmer.
Speaking to GB News at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, McTernan said: "Tony and Keir clearly get on incredibly well.
"They've got a real chemistry between them. I've seen them speaking together at public events and I know they speak to each other behind the scenes as well.
"And that's a really important thing because it means that Keir understands Tony's a really important Labour leader because he used to win elections.
"We've had too many Labour leaders who want to say 'I want to have nothing to do with Tony'.
"So I think they've got similarities in that they know that the centre ground of politics is where Labour has to be to win."
He added: "They've both got similarities which is they've actually confronted their parties and moved them, made the party change to any different cause.
"And Keir has done it by ripping anti-Semitism out by the roots.
"So in many ways Kier is the first Labour leader to build on Tony's legacy.
"Everybody else in between tried to not be Tony. But Keir's going to - he's quite relaxed."
Blair's political influence over the Labour Party was highlighted earlier this year when it was revealed that the former Labour leader orchestrated a meeting between Starmer and Emmanuel Macron.
The former Prime Minister planned the meeting to coincide with the announcement of EU 'associate membership', a scheme which France is said to be keen for the UK to be part of.
An insider said Blair is "convinced that Brexit is now a vote-winner", pushing Starmer to open the door to its reversal in order to win the election.
Asked by GB News about Starmer's most significant political weapon, McTernan said: "Stability."
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Starmer, who is gearing up to fight the next election, appears to have an increasingly close relationship with the ex-PM
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He explained: "We've had about five prime ministers, seven chancellors. We can list the number of foreign secretaries and education secretaries.
"This is a government is offering no stability - not for business, not for local government, not for communities, not for families.
"And instability has a huge cost."
He added: "Stability is so important and we'll notice it as soon as [Starmer] becomes Prime Minister."