Tony Blair says rise of populism could mean return to fascist politics of the 1930s in anti-Brexit speech

Tony Blair has been accused of scaremongering over Brexit after he suggested the rise of populism could lead to a return to the politics of the 1930s.

Mr Blair, the former Labour prime minister, said the West was in danger of “losing sight of the values” which brought it together and which “saw it through the menace of fascism and communism”.

He said that if populism continued to spread nobody could predict where the world would end up but he added: “Then the comparisons with the 1930s no longer seem so far-fetched.”

Eurosceptics responded with fury and said it was “patently absurd” to mention Brexit and the politics of the 1930s - a period which saw the rise of fascism and communism in Europe - in the same speech as they accused him of confusing populism with democracy.

They also condemned Mr Blair for suggesting the March 2019 Brexit date could have to be delayed.

Mr Blair’s intervention came after Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, claimed the Government had “no vision for Britain’s future” as he attacked its negotiating strategy.

The apparent Labour pincer movement from Sir Keir and Mr Blair was seen by Brexiteers as an attempt to further destabilise talks with Brussels.

Speaking at Chatham House in central London Mr Blair said Europe and Britain “could strike a bargain” on a package of reform which would result in Britain staying in the EU.  

Europe and the UK would have to deal with the key issue of immigration “decisively” to achieve such an outcome, he said.

“Those in the centre ground of politics must become again the change-makers, not the managers of the status quo,” he said.

“But this challenge is urgent. We are losing sight of the values which brought the West together, saw it through the menace of fascism and communism and, for all the justifiable grievances, has wrought immense progress.”

Mr Blair suggested that if populism was left unchallenged it could see the return of the politics of the 1930s.

He said: “Once it is clear the populism isn’t working because, ultimately, it offers only expressions of anger and not effective answers, the populists may double down, alleging that failure is the result of half-heartedness and that only more of the same will work.

“Who knows where the dynamic of that scenario takes us. Then the comparisons with the 1930s no longer seem so far-fetched.”

Mr Blair cautioned against the UK leaving the EU in March 2019 if it “doesn’t know what it is getting” in terms of a trade deal as he made the case for the point of withdrawal to be delayed.

But Peter Bone, the leading Tory Eurosceptic, dismissed the idea of pushing Brexit back and accused Mr Blair of trying to scare voters.

He said: “Royal assent was given to the Withdrawal Bill so we are leaving in March. There cannot be an extension. People voted for Brexit and we are going to come out.

“That is a matter of fact. Tony Blair, and people like him, are elitists. He thinks he knows better than people and I have no idea how he links the current situation with the 1930s. I find that extraordinary.

“The people have made the decision to leave the European Union. What that has to do with Naziism, I have no idea.

“It was a democratic decision. What he sees as populism is actually democracy. It is patently absurd.

“This is project fear number three or four. It didn’t work before and it is not going to work now.”

Sir Keir said Mrs May had offered “no vision for Britain’s future and no plan to tackle the root causes of the referendum result”.

“There is now a real danger that this continued deadlock will fuel public anxiety and alienation,” he said.

Mr Bone accused Sir Keir of trying to score “party political points” and said: “To say there is no plan is wrong.”