His provocative reasoning on a host of topics kick-started modern British philosophy.

ECONOMIST: Britain��s first modern philosopher

Mr Blair is the first prime minister since the second world war to enunciate a detailed philosophy of British power in the modern world.

ECONOMIST: Anti-war Americans

He brought the philosophy of creative tension in to British journalism - a mixed blessing.

BBC: By BBC News online's Nick Assinder

Bull- fighting in Spain is still what cricket is to the British or baseball to Americans: poetry, philosophy, pride.

ECONOMIST: Spain

Despite his failure ever to meet Gladstone, Mr Bognador draws heavily on the Old Man's philosophy to argue that Tony Blair's recent transformation of the British constitution is more likely to strengthen the union than to break it apart.

ECONOMIST: Ireland and Gladstone and all that