import re
line = 'blah < b la a ah > blah'
print("Original: " + line)
line = re.sub(r"< (.*) (.*) >", "< \g<1>\g<2> >", line)
print("Pass1: " + line)
line = re.sub(r"^ (.*) (.*) >", " \g<1>\g<2> >", line)
print("Pass2: " + line)
line = re.sub(r"< (.*) (.*) $", "< \g<1>\g<2> ", line)
print("Pass3: " + line)
aW1wb3J0IHJlCmxpbmUgPSAnYmxhaCA8IGIgbGEgYSBhaCA+IGJsYWgnCnByaW50KCJPcmlnaW5hbDogIiArIGxpbmUpCmxpbmUgPSByZS5zdWIociI8ICguKikgKC4qKSA+IiwgIjwgXGc8MT5cZzwyPiA+IiwgbGluZSkKcHJpbnQoIlBhc3MxOiAiICsgbGluZSkKbGluZSA9IHJlLnN1YihyIl4gKC4qKSAoLiopID4iLCAiIFxnPDE+XGc8Mj4gPiIsIGxpbmUpCnByaW50KCJQYXNzMjogIiArIGxpbmUpCmxpbmUgPSByZS5zdWIociI8ICguKikgKC4qKSAkIiwgIjwgXGc8MT5cZzwyPiAiLCBsaW5lKQpwcmludCgiUGFzczM6ICIgKyBsaW5lKQ==