Blair exits to cheers and tears

TRIMDON (Reuters) - The pop music was just as raucous and the crowd just as ecstatic. The difference was that, this time, Tony Blair was on his way out.

Twenty-four years ago, Blair was at Trimdon Labour Club in County Durham to celebrate his first election to parliament.

In 1997, he partied in this former mining village with jubilant supporters as the Labour Party won the landslide victory that made him prime minister.

And Blair triggered cheers and tears amongst the party faithful by choosing the club once more to announce to Trimdon, Britain and the world that he would be handing the Queen his resignation on June 27.

Many of those who packed the club on Thursday to hear him announce his resignation had been with him from the start.

Showing no sign of losing his magic media touch, Blair told his supporters "hand on heart, I did what I thought was right" in an inspired piece of political theatre.

Wearing a red tie, Blair enthusiastically embraced his agent John Burton, his wife Cherie and close friends and activists.

"He's brilliant. It's been brilliant for us," said Lena Devine, 72, fishing a photograph out of her handbag of a fresh-faced Blair eating a pie at the Black Bull pub in 1984.

"He'll go out with his head held high. You haven't heard the last of Tony Blair."

His legacy might run the risk of being tarnished by the Iraq War, but Blair loyalists were out in force as a beaming prime minister was ushered through the crowds.

For many supporters Blair's farewell speech recalled the heady days when new Labour swept to power to dance track "Things Can Only Get Better" ushering in the "Cool Britannia" era.

NOSTALGIA AND PRIDE

By flying to Trimdon to bow out in a mixture of nostalgia and pride, Blair was guaranteed to party amongst friends.

"I think he's a great man," said Wilfred Duffey, 64, sitting outside the local betting shop not far from the club.

With badges of Blair's smiling face on their lapels, locals waved signs saying "Thank You" and "Britain is Better".

"He'll be missed," said Sheila Marshall, 70. "He's still as handsome as ever," she added with a giggle.

After an emotional start to his speech, Blair got into his stride saying he had started as premier with high expectations.

"I may have been wrong -- that's your call. But believe one thing if nothing else. I did what I thought was right for our country."

Outside the club, television vans carved up the village green as residents stood at their gates, accustomed to the media circus after more than two decades of Blair as their MP.

Blair even invited U.S. President George W. Bush to Trimdon Labour Club in November 2003 and took him to the local pub.

Not all Trimdon residents were sorry to see Blair go.

Mike Rochford, 76, said he was "absolutely delighted" the prime minister was leaving.

"Look at our young men dying in Iraq. Look at the lies he's told. He wants to be on the stage in America. He's better than most of those actors," he said.

While other residents praised Blair for improving local schools and hospitals, Rochford said Trimdon had been neglected.

"The only time you see a policeman around here is when this show comes to town," he said.

Love him or hate him, though, locals could not deny Blair's people skills. Some could not hide their concern that prime-minister-in-waiting, finance minister Gordon Brown, lacked what it takes to win Labour a fourth straight term.

"He's had a good 10 years. I'm worried about the next fellow, though," said John Hannah, 62. Was it Brown's personality he worried about? "Yes. Or lack of it," he answered.