The Iron Lady had a problem. It was not a political issue; she simply needed to fix her home plumbing.

'Well, call a plumber,' replied the surprised adviser. A long silence followed, before Lady Thatcher asked: 'And how do I do that?'

'Try the Yellow Pages,' came the helpful answer.

Unbelievable as the story sounds, Lady Thatcher's predicament was perfectly real. After a long period in power, one gets used to calling the 'switch' (as all British prime ministers call their Downing Street telephone switchboard) with any demand, however bizarre. And the request is instantly fulfilled, no questions asked.

But when a British premier leaves office, the full blast of daily realities returns with a vengeance. Winston Churchill, who led the British to victory in World War II, was kicked out in 1945 with no salary or fortune; he only managed to keep his family home after receiving a donation from some wealthy individuals.

Matters have improved since then. Mr Tony Blair, who resigned as prime minister this week, will enjoy a severance package worth about S$900,000 a year, including a car, a driver and special police protection.

But there is no substitute for the buzz of political power. So, to soothe the pain of adaptation, Mr Blair rushed to accept a new role: that of a special envoy for the Middle East.

In theory, he is supremely qualified for the job. During his tenure, he brokered peace in Northern Ireland, ending more than a century of bloodshed. He is close to the Americans and has the trust of Europe's current leaders.

But the chances still are that his Middle East mission will fail. First, the manner of his appointment has annoyed members of the group that regularly deals with Middle Eastern problems, the so-called Quartet, composed of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.

Largely because US President George W. Bush wanted it, the former British premier was foisted on the Quartet at the very last moment.

The Germans, who hold the presidency of the EU, are unimpressed: As German Chancellor Angela Merkel made clear on Thursday, Mr Blair will be expected to execute the Quartet's wishes, rather than devise his own policies.

Mr Blair does not start with a blank sheet of paper. Since 2003, the Quartet has tried to implement a 'road map' for Israeli-Palestinian peace, calling for a two-state solution. The former British leader has vowed to push this plan through.

Yet it is hard to see how the Americans can be persuaded to goad Israel into a peace deal, especially since the Palestinian leadership is now paralysed by its own internal struggles.

The pan-Arab daily newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat summed it up well. 'Dozens of international mediators have passed through the Middle East, and they never came back,' it wrote.

Mr Blair will eventually come back, to look for a better job. And, with a bit of luck, he will by then be familiar with the mundane task of looking for a plumber in the Yellow Pages.