Tony Blair leads tributes to former aide and ‘mentor’ John Burton

Sir Tony expressed that he had been left ‘bereft’ by his death

Tony Blair with John Burton at Trimdon Labour club (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Sir Tony Blair has paid tribute to his former constituency election agent, John Burton, who has died aged 85, describing him as his "mentor, guide and teacher".

The former prime minister, who served as MP for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007, said he relied on Mr Burton for "analysis worthy of the best political consultant". Mr Burton also held roles as chairman of the Sedgefield Labour Party and a borough councillor.

Sir Tony expressed that he had been left "bereft" by the death of a figure he considered a crucial guide throughout his political career.

In a tribute to his friend, Sir Tony said: “John Burton was my close friend, mentor, guide and teacher for over 40 years.

“Ever since, shortly before the 1983 election, I stepped into his home during that year’s European Cup Winners’ Cup final which Aberdeen won under Alex Ferguson, and was told to sit quiet until the match ended, I knew I had met a fellow soul.

“John had an extraordinary talent for politics. No-one read the game better or had clearer and almost infallible judgment.

John Burton (left) also served as chairman of Sedgefield Labour Party and a borough councillor (Owen Humphreys/PA)

“As prime minister I would seek his advice on anything touching public opinion or the fortunes of the government and know I would get an unvarnished and unswerving analysis worthy of the best political consultant in the country.

“He was smart. But he was also caring, enormous fun with a brilliant sense of humour and company I sought as much for the laughter as for the advice.

“His passing leaves me quite bereft.”

He offered his condolences to Mr Burton’s children, Caroline and Jonathan, and the “Trimdon crew who were and are my friends and support”.

In 2003, The Northern Echo published Mr Burton's biography entitled The Grit in the Oyster, written by Keith Proud.

Reflecting on Mr Burton, Sir Tony Blair said: “John has an extraordinarily instinctive ability as to where the public is on any issue. I often check a judgement against his.

“Often on major political issues, I will pick up the phone say, even in the middle of a crisis, ‘what’s your sense of this?’.

“I have very rarely, if ever, known him to be wrong about a big political issue but he has this ability to understand where other people are coming from.”

Labour MP Alan Strickland, whose Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor seat includes much of Sir Tony’s former constituency, said: “John leaves a huge legacy.

“As election agent to Tony Blair, chair of Sedgefield Labour Party and a Sedgefield Borough councillor, John made a major contribution to our area and the Labour movement.”