Comments on: Is Blair on his last legs?

By: Pocahontas

Pocahontas — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 10:22:27 +0000

King Tony has been falling down every five minutes but somehow he seems to weather it and keeps reigning supreme.

So I am not holding my breath.

By: Leon

Leon — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 09:05:57 +0000

I’m with Dave T regarding caution on thinking Camerons got it in the bag. For pretty much the same reasons too, the Tory right haven’t really sunk their claws into him yet but when they do they will draw blood…

By: Yakoub/Julaybib

Yakoub/Julaybib — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 17:33:27 +0000

I think it is insane to claim Blair’s reign has been one long disaster. Of course, Tony signed up to Bush’s foreign policy and tried to create a security state. Will Brown or Cameron do any different? The truth is, Blairism was founded on plenty of good intentions, particularly on the domestic social justice and welfare front, but so much has not been properly realised due to of an excessive reliance on consultancy over and above the regular civil service, an almost ideological attachment to notions of consumerism, and the need to ‘involve’ the private sector. Whether Brown will be any better with regard to domestic policies is a moot point, but I’d trust him on these issues more than Cameron. But I won’t be holding my breath for any major changes in British polity, whoever is at the helm, for the foreseeable future.

Wasalaam

TMA

By: David T

David T — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 17:18:18 +0000

Don’t bank of Cameron winning. I keep having conversations with ‘core Tory voters’ who think he’s likely to be too liberal on immigration etc.

Not entirely convinced the Tories are hungry enough to want to win an election yet.

We’ll see.

By: Vikrant a.k.a Amey

Vikrant a.k.a Amey — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 17:11:09 +0000

Hooray… Hooray.. Tony Blair is falling down.. falling down… Cameron will make such a fine PM.

By: Kismet Hardy

Kismet Hardy — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:58:40 +0000

Tonight matthew, I’m going to be tony blair

I’m going pub

Last legs, legless

I make joke, ya?

And like Tony, I shall be drinking alone

Now I cry

By: Arif

Arif — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:41:55 +0000

Understanding British politics reminds me of Kremlinology. I feel games are being played behind closed doors with coded messages fed to the media, and commentators frenetically reading between the lines that a palace coup is on the way.

These letters say that Tony Blair is a superhero who has done great things. no mention of any faults on his part. But they want him to resign because there is damage to the Labour Party.

What is the damage to the Labour Party? Is the problem that it is losing popularity? Are they saying it is due to Tony Blair – in which case what has he done?

Is it that they want to hoodwink voters with a change of personality rather than policy? Is it that they want to change policies, but are too timid to say it? Is it that they believe that the policies don’t matter anyway, it is all about staying in power? Is it part of a personality clash with Brown? Are the courtiers just getting bored?

Elite intrigue is probably fun for participants and spectators, but its a sad way for a polity to be run.

By: Sid

Sid — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:15:04 +0000

Mr Freedland sums it up

By: Kismet Hardy

Kismet Hardy — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:00:54 +0000

So is his successor (I’m guessing Osbourne, Cowell and Welsh will pick the Right Man) be any different?

By: contrarymary

contrarymary — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:36:00 +0000

this is BIG. it’s open revolt. surely it’s gonna put more pressure on Blaire to resign, or at least commit to a timetable of departure. hurrah.

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:28:58 +0000

William Hill has the news on the betting: http://www.williamhillmedia.com/index_template.asp?file=6559

Of course Brown is behind this, not everything but his camp are surely a major player in any stirring regarding Blairs weak premiership…

By: raz

raz — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:25:58 +0000

WTF was that ‘Blair farewell tour about’?! This guy is seriously deluded about his own importance to the world

By: Jagdeep

Jagdeep — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:23:57 +0000

I think he will be forced to say that he’ll go early new year in time for the March elections. But who knows? Maybe a cabinet minister will resign spectacularly and he’ll have to fall on his sword!

Who thinks Gordon Brown or his loyalists may be plotting all this?

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:05:45 +0000

Cheers, nryone, interesting insight. And yeah my (limited) experience of news rooms and journos suggests the same…

By: nyrone

nyrone — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:04:43 +0000

Most people are saying just beyond the new year, some people think a coup is possible in the next couple of weeks, no-one thinks 12 months…
It’s rather strange to see people writing right-wing material and then start speaking to you in left-wing lingo about the current political climate. Newsrooms are full of weird contradictions that way, just like the rest of the world….

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:03:33 +0000

Why not quit while youâ€™re ahead?

In a word; power.

Giving it up is very hard.

By: Kismet Hardy

Kismet Hardy — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:03:30 +0000

“Why not quit while youâ€™re ahead?”

Because people in power never know when that is

By: Billy

Billy — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:52:09 +0000

I’ve never understood why, in politics, people insist on hanging on until the last minute and everyone hates you and there’s a coup to get rid of you. Why not quit while you’re ahead?

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:45:10 +0000

You work in a newsroom? Interesting, what’s the general feeling there regarding when he’ll go?

By: nyrone

nyrone — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:41:54 +0000

This is probably the funniest thing ever.
I have been watching the entire thing at the Newsroom I’m working in, and as the stories keep breaking, first with the â€˜get lostâ€™ letter, then the â€˜leave like a rock starâ€™ memo and now the savage tidal wave of â€˜we hate everything you stand forâ€™ resignations, youâ€™ve got to wonder if it could possibly get any worse for the blood-sucking war criminal that is Mr Blair.

Does anyone actually believe that he could go on for another 12 months? The government is in â€œmeltdownâ€ to use DCâ€™s words. People are lining up to tell him to get lost, and he still wonâ€™t leave! Could he be any more arrogant or self-delusional? When you no longer hold authority in your party, when most of the public think youâ€™re rubbish and when only your loyal dogs are still around defending your egoâ€¦Itâ€™s time to disgracefully leave.

He totally deserves this.