“And that is that. The end.”

So ended Tony Blair’s political career. Those were the last words he said in public as Prime Minister, at the close of Question Time.

Thanks to the ingenuity of the technical wizard at school, I was able to see the end of PMQs and the Blair’s trip to Buckingham Palace during lunch time. With a TV possibly built by John Logie Baird himself and a spoon as an antenna stuck into the back of the VCR, he tuned in BBC2.

With all my excoriating of TB, I have to say that I still almost teared up as tributes were paid to him from other parties, especially from normally very dour Ian Paisley. There is something about the high moments in the drama of politics that is emotive.

I think Tony is going to a job for which he is well suited. All sides have praised him for his work in pulling together the agreements in Northern Ireland. Anyone who could bring Ian Paisley to the same table with Sinn Fein has to be commended for it. He may be able to make significant progress in the Middle East.

Ecumenical Miracle

Who would have ever imagined it? Today the most radical fundamentalist Protestant leader and a former IRA commander formed a coalition government in Northern Ireland.

Ian Paisley has had many titles during his long tenure in politics and the pulpit. Today he is the First Minister of Northern Ireland. He spoke words of reconciliation I still find hard to believe passed through his lips.

Martin McGuiness is still committed to republicanism, but for the moment he is part of a united Northern Ireland. Whether it ever unites with the rest of the island will have to be seen. The important thing is that it will be decided politically and not by force of arms.

It was not so many years ago this would have been unimaginable.