Blair ‘quits as Middle East envoy’

Tony Blair has resigned as the Quartet’s Middle East peace envoy after nearly eight years in the role, officials in Jerusalem have said.

The officials, who are familiar with the work of the Quartet, said that the former British prime minister had written a letter to United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon to confirm his resignation.

Mr Blair took the office in 2007 and was put in charge of helping develop the Palestinian economy and institutions.

But he struggled in the position, and one official said there had been “frustration” over his limited authority.