Tony Blair - Derry Irvine: Tyrannical but a genius

Published on Wednesday 1 September 2010 18:31

TONY Blair's mentor Derry Irvine was a "tyrannical genius" who taught the future Prime Minister "how to think" when he started out on his legal career.

As Mr Blair's pupil master, the future Lord Chancellor was a tough taskmaster. "In intellectual terms, I had only 'passed exams' before meeting Derry, and I hadn't a clue how to think," Mr Blair said in his memoirs.

"I mean really think - analyse, dissect a problem from first principles, and having deconstructed it, construct a solution. As my pupil master he was tyrannical but a genius."

Mr Blair recalled helping his mentor write his pleadings when the future Lord Chancellor was just 36 and one of the brightest junior counsels at the Bar. The first time he did this, he presented his work and expected his boss to read it and comment on it before putting it in the bin. Mr Blair expected him to write it himself.

Mr Blair added: "He was growling and and I was terrified… He picked it up and literally threw at me. 'I don't want your ramblings. I don't want your half-thoughts.

"I want your best work, work that you personally will be responsible for. Understand?'"

Blair said he was "scared of him, admired him and adored him", but most of all he was grateful to him.