Tony Blair opposed the PR system, and many members of the Shadow Cabinet were worried about concessions being made towards the Lib Dems. In the event, vitually every opinion poll since late-1992 put Labour ahead with enough support to form an overall majority. Blair became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 2 May 1997, serving concurrently as First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Labour Party. Aged 43, Blair became the youngest person to become Prime Minister since Lord Liverpool became Prime Minister aged 42 in 1812. With victories in 1997, 2001, and
Phil Hope and remained the MP there until the 2010 election. He made his maiden speech on 14 May 1997. In parliament he was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Minister of State at the former Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions Nick Raynsford in 1999, and after the 2001 General Election he became the PPS to the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. He was promoted to the government of Tony Blair in 2003 as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State under his old boss at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. He served as the