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Tony Blair looks to technology sector for best ideas about politics

The former UK Prime Minister wants to "build a platform" to solve the world's problems.

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Richard Trenholm
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Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
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Former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

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Tony Blair thinks the best political ideas are coming from the world of technology, and wants to build a new platform for finding solutions to the world's problems.

Blair mentioned technology several times in a wide-ranging interview with New Statesman. "The thing that's really tragic about politics today is that the best ideas about politics aren't in politics," he said. "I find the ideas are much more interesting in the technology sector, much more interesting ideas about how you change the world."

Exactly what that means in practise remains to be seen. The former Prime Minister ruled out a return to front line politics but hinted at a return to the political arena, beginning with the building of "a platform" to debate ideas and "build networks".

In an interview that also covered Donald Trump and "Strictly Come Dancing", Blair added he believes it's not too late for the people of Britain to make a final decision about leaving the EU, potentially halting Brexit.