Former prime minister Tony Blair entered Britain's close-fought election campaign today, seeking to work his charm on voters tempted to desert the Labour Party at the polls after 13 years in charge.
Mr Blair led Labour to three electoral victories over the Conservatives from 1997. But after a decade as prime minister, he resigned in mid-term in 2007 to make way for Gordon Brown.
Mr Brown is seeking to win an unprecedented fourth successive Labour term in office in an election expected on May 6th.
Drafting in Mr Blair's help is a risky strategy for Labour. He is a charismatic campaigner, but many voters are still angry with him for leading Britain into war in Iraq.
Labour is trailing the Conservatives in the opinion polls although the gap has narrowed since January. Most polls suggest the result could be a hung parliament in which no party has an overall majority. This could allow Mr Brown to stay in power.
Returning to the constituency of Sedgefield in northeastern England which he represented in parliament for 24 years, Mr Blair praised Mr Brown's handling of the economic crisis, hailing his "experience, judgment and boldness".
"It required leadership and Gordon Brown supplied it," Mr Blair told enthusiastic party activists at the local Labour Club.
The two men had a uniquely close but fraught partnership at the top of British politics for a decade. Mr Brown was a powerful finance minister during Mr Blair's 10 years at the helm, and it was an open secret that Mr Blair had promised Mr Brown he would hand over the reins at some point. This caused unending tension at the heart of government.
Mr Brown, who has had a bumpy ride as prime minister, is now playing up his record on economic management, arguing that he took bold decisions during the 2008 credit crunch that averted a total collapse of the financial sector and the economy.
The Conservatives blame him for Britain's huge deficit and for leading it into recession.
Mr Blair was deeply unpopular by the time he left office because of his decision to join the United States in invading Iraq based on the supposed threat from Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, which turned out not to exist.
As his car pulled up outside the Labour Club in Sedgefield, Mr Blair was met by a small crowd of protesters brandishing placards that read "Bliar, War Criminal".
Reuters