What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of Labour’s historic landslide in 1997. What a day it was!

As we stood ­listening to Things Can Only Get Better for the 200th time waiting ­for Tony Blair to speak, the sun rose over Westminster.

After 18 years, we finally defeated a Tory Government.

Why did we win? Because we were united, we spoke as one and we had great policies.

I still carry my battered pledge card. Cut class sizes, invest in the NHS to cut waiting times for operations, more bobbies on the beat, and put people back to work.

In 1997 we were disciplined, we were unified, we were on a mission.

Fast-forward 20 years, and the man who led us back to power then seems determined to block us from getting back in now.

I worked with Tony Blair as his Deputy Leader and then Deputy PM for 13 years.

(Image: Reuters)

Yes, we have a lot to thank him for – he made us electable.

But he was part of a strong team. Gordon Brown, Robin Cook, Mo Mowlam, Donald Dewar, the list goes on.

I never supported calling ourselves New Labour. In fact I never used the word.

I felt Tony and Peter Mandelson were creating a new party. An SDP Mark 2. Tony was never tribal Labour, more a rainbow man. I remember him telling me he wanted to bring Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown into Labour’s Cabinet.

I told him if Ashdown came in the back door I’d walk out the front, and it never happened.

Gordon and I kept Tony in check and we ended up delivering a lot in Government.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Which is why I’m saddened to see what Blair has become.

After travelling the world stage, earning millions and offering his advice to somewhat questionable foreign leaders, he now wants to pile back into frontline politics.

It’s a bit like a faded striker shouting from the sidelines as a spectator, desperate to get on the pitch to score a goal and hear the roar of the crowds.

Except Tony doesn’t seem to want to play for the Reds.

Instead he seems more interested in bringing down Labour’s manager and his team – the hundreds of Labour candidates standing in the local and general elections.

(Image: Mike Moore / Daily Mirror)

A week before by-elections in Stoke and Copeland, Blair and Mandelson were both critical of Corbyn.

On the day of Labour’s local election campaign, Blair said the party was providing “zero” opposition.

And on the eve of our Brexit plan, Mandelson was moaning on the TV he didn’t know what it was.

Now we hear Blair and Mandelson had a plan to use the Open Britain campaign group to try to remove 20 Brexit-supporting MPs, including Labour’s Kate Hoey.

When asked if that meant people voting Lib Dem, he said: “What I’m advocating may mean that.”

When Tony was leader, we expelled people for advocating voting for other parties. I can’t see what he is doing is any different.

To do this just days away from crucial local elections and five weeks out from a general election is totally unacceptable.

So can I tell Labour grandees like Blair, Mandelson and Hattersley to shut up and get behind us.

Anything else would be a betrayal and let down the millions of people who need Labour back in power to save our NHS, our schools and our future.

So Tony. Stop complaining and start campaigning.

For Labour. Not against it.