Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born May 6, 1953) is an English politician, who has served as Prime Minister from 2 May 1997 to the present. He has been Leader of the Labour Party since 1994 and the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield since 1983. Blair was elected Leader of the Labour Party in the leadership election of July 1994 following the sudden death of his predecessor, John Smith. Under Blair's leadership the party abandoned many policies it had held for decades. Labour won a landslide victory in the 1997 general election.