The Blair Switch Project

Chuka Umunna, 35

TB factor Like an early Blair, the Shadow Business Secretary personifies cool, modern Britain, and believes the next election will be won from the centre ground, as it was in 1997. Blair was only 43 when he came to power.

CV The Streatham MP is seen as a shoo-in for party leadership. The immaculate, 6ft-tall former solicitor was groomed by Ed Miliband to become an MP in the last election. Eighteen months later he was fast-tracked to the Shadow Cabinet.

He says: ‘I’m not a Blairite. Blair circa 1997 to 2000 was brilliant; after that, I’m not sure where he was going.’

Who knew? He was in the choir that sang the theme tune of Mr Bean.

Euan Blair, 30

TB factor Genetics aside, Euan left his job with Morgan Stanley last year to work as the chief commercial officer at Sarina Russo, a recruitment agency involved in the government’s work programme in Coventry, where two seats are rumoured to be up for grabs — a clear path to politics.

CV Tony’s eldest was arrested in Leicester Square in 2000 for being ‘drunk and incapable’ after his GCSEs. He’s since smartened up, marrying his girlfriend of eight years (she studied PPE at Oxford; they met when she worked for Geoff Hoon) and the pair live in a £3.6m townhouse that Euan co-owns with his mum.

He says: Very little in public.

Who knew? Euan worked as a runner on V for Vendetta and Band of Brothers.

Manuel Valls, 51

TB factor This French Prime Minister is a serious moderniser, suggesting that the Socialist party drop ‘socialist’ from its name.

CV He was born in Barcelona to a Catalan father and a Italo-Swiss mother, and only became a French citizen at 20. Barely a month into the second-from-top job and there’s already been talks of an attempt by Hollande to stop him seeking the presidency.

He says: It’s in French, but he has described himself as ‘Blairiste’ and a ‘Clintonian’.

Who knew? A survey for Elle magazine found that 20 per cent of French women would embark on a ‘torrid affair’ with him.

Gloria De Piero, 41

TB factor She was Blair’s ‘favourite broadcaster’ when she was political editor at GMTV. She even joined him on a tour of the Middle East to film his work as a peace envoy.

CV The Ashbridge MP’s parents are Italian immigrants, and she was brought up in Bradford. In October she was made Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities. She thinks Labour will soon have a female leader.

She says: ‘I think even Tony Blair would say we’ve got to constantly move on.’

Who knew? She was once voted 85th sexiest woman in the world by FHM magazine, which she describes as ‘everyday sexism’.

Michael Gove, 46

TB factor The comparison is self-made. In May last year Gove told the Education Select Committee: ‘If you’re saying I’m the heir to Blair... I plead guilty.’ The Mail has claimed that Blair and Gove had covert meetings, in which Blair urged Gove to have confidence in his policies and declared his support for free schools and academies.