Facts about Tony Blair 

A decade ago Tony Blair became Britain's youngest prime minister in nearly 200 years, a telegenic communicator from the modernist right-wing of the Labour Party.

Blair, 54, his popularity damaged by Britain's involvement in the war in Iraq, announced his resignation on Thursday.

Here are some facts about Britain's ninth longest-serving prime minister. 

Blair is the Labour Party's longest-serving prime minister and the only one to have led the party to three consecutive general election victories. He will be remembered for helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland and sending troops to Iraq, despite opposition from the public and members of his party. Britain's economy has thrived under his premiership.

Born in Edinburgh on May 6, 1953, he spent most of his early years in Durham in northern England. Blair was educated at an exclusive boarding school in Scotland but disliked it so much that at the age of 14 he tried to run away. He studied law at Oxford University and trained as a barrister in London.

At university, Blair played guitar and sang in a rock band called the Ugly Rumours. He also dated Canadian film director Mary Harron, who went on to make the movie American Pyscho.

Blair's ability to connect with the electorate and work his media magic was sealed in 1997, following the death of Princess Diana, when he called her "the people's princess" and delivered the line with convincing sincerity.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Blair declared that he stood "shoulder to shoulder" with America, and hitched his future to its new president, George Bush. The leaders formed a bond and at one meeting announced they even shared the same brand of toothpaste.

Blair has four children with his wife Cherie Booth, who is a successful barrister. The youngest was born during Blair's premiership. Cherie was raised a devout Roman Catholic and Blair, an Anglican, is also religious.