The election on 5 May 2005 saw Labour win a historic third successive term in power, though their majority now stood at 66 seats – compared to 167 four years earlier – and they failed to gain any new seats.

Blair had already declared that the new term in parliament would be his last.

Blair's government responded by introducing a range of anti-terror legislation including the passing of the contentious Identity Cards Act 2006 legislation (repealed).

[1][2] Blair announced in 2006 that he would resign as prime minister and Labour leader within a year.

He resigned on 27 June 2007 and was succeeded by Gordon Brown, who had been his chancellor of the Exchequer since 1997.