This man has been ithe biggest reason if not the only reason for the Labour Party’s massive shift to the right. He has destroyed the Labour Party for many people. It was once a party that resisted war and was a party where everyone’s voice was heard. Instead now Blair has created a situation which has seeped into this country where presentation is far more important than policy. It was more important to Blair that Alastair Campbell got a nice picture of Tony for the Sun rather than discussing issues with his cabinet. He has dithered on global crisis like climate change yet was decisive on taking Britain illegally to war in Iraq and giving Ameria the support it badly needed in the illegal invasion. He is a faker. His contrived emotion on hearing the death of the weapons inspector David Kelly was sickening to see. He has created a party which disregards disenting voices like those of Claire Shortt, Mo Mowlam and Robin Cook. On the positive side his contribtion to peace in this country should be praised. To remember him for this and this alone would be cowardly however.
Well said piper - agree with every word you’ve written. He achieved a lot for peace in the six counties but I think he saw it as a nice project for his repuation (as it was for Clinton) and that’s what the rewards for him were. He diluted Labour into a horrible populist party who have completely abandoned their roots. Regrettably our own Labour party in Ireland see this as the way forward and are following suit.
The one thing I’d say is that at least the labour grassroots in England have dissenting voices: Short, Mowlam, Cook that you mentioned - also Livingston, Benn (even Galloway when he was still in the party). All we get is Michael D, everyone else tows the party line.
And gave a massive performance in the “The Queen”, I think he’ll follow that up with a career in the movies now that he’s finished with leading us.
Article below is from the BBC and it is questioning whether Blair will soon become a Catholic. I don’t think it’s coincedental that he is not doing it until leaving office.
Speculation on Blair faith plan
Mr Blair met the late Pope John Paul II in 2003
Speculation has again arisen over whether Tony Blair will become a Catholic when he leaves Downing Street.
The Times newspaper reported that No 10 priest Father Michael Seed had said the prime minister would declare his switch from Anglicanism.
Father Seed said Mr Blair already attends Catholic Mass with his family every Sunday in London and when abroad.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “[Mr Blair] continues to be a member of the Church of England.”
He said that comment on Mr Blair’s faith “seems to circulate fairly regularly”.
Family faith
Father Seed, who says Mass for the Blairs in Downing Street when they are in London, said he was unsure if Mr Blair would be “formally” received into the Catholic Church.
Mr Blair’s wife Cherie is a Catholic, and their children were baptised, going on to attend Catholic schools.
Although not a Catholic, Mr Blair often read the scriptures during Mass at St John Fisher Catholic Church in his Sedgefield constituency, during his early years in Parliament.
It is not the first time a family priest has speculated on Mr Blair’s future faith.
In 2004, Father Timothy Russ, who held Mass at Chequers, said Mr Blair “may well” convert - a claim quickly denied by Mr Blair.
Before he became prime minister he was criticised by the Archbishop of Westminster for taking communion at his wife’s Islington church.
And before the Iraq war it was reported that he received communion from Pope John Paul II during a visit to the Vatican. Downing Street refused to comment at the time
I wish I was a bus driver