Blair's first official portrait unveiled

The first official portrait of former Prime Minister Tony Blair has been unveiled.

During his time at Downing Street, Mr Blair turned down requests for official portraits but agreed to this oil painting by artist Jonathan Yeo just before leaving office.

He visited the artist's London studio in November last year and wears a commemorative poppy in the portrait.

Mr Yeo said of the poppy: "Of all the things that people remember him for, the war in Iraq is going to be one of the main things that people discuss.

"I was thinking that I had to find some kind of representation of that, but that it shouldn't be trite or too judgmental.

"It was November and of course when he came in he was wearing a poppy. I thought that was perfect. I very slightly exaggerated it through colour but it was there for me."

Mr Blair sat for the artist, who has painted portraits of Rupert Murdoch and the Duke of Edinburgh, for two hours and the pair also met socially so that Mr Yeo could get to know his subject.

He previously painted a triptych of Mr Blair with William Hague and Charles Kennedy during the 2001 election, which is not considered an official portrait of the Prime Minister.

The 75cm by 75cm portrait was commissioned by the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn.

Mr Blair is the 16th Prime Minister to have been a member of Lincoln's Inn, following a tradition which began with Robert Walpole.

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