Tony Blair ‘loved to drink while travelling’

LONDON - Journalist Robert Harris has revealed that former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair loved a tipple while travelling.

Harris said in an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs how the former Labour Prime Minister felt the lack of a drinking companion - neither his wife Cherie nor his former communications chief Alastair Campbell drink alcohol.

He said that when he travelled by plane with Blair, there were always bottles of alcohol left by the air charter company.

“Cherie didn’t drink, Alastair Campbell didn’t drink, the Special Branch bodyguard didn’t drink, so Tony would rummage around, pull out a bottle and say, “Robert, you would like a drink, wouldn’t you?” the Daily Mail quoted Harris as saying.

“Then, under cover of pouring one for me, he was able to have one for himself,” he added.

Later Harris clarified, “This was a light-hearted remark. Tony didn’t get drunk.”

Blair suggested in his memoir A Journey that he used alcohol as a ‘prop’ during his time in office, regularly drinking wine and spirits. (ANI)