The Future of Britain

I won’t be watching. Tony Blair was the best ‘Conservative’ this country ever had! He’s now doing his best to undermine the current Labour Party. Once again, doing the Conservative’s job for them. Champagne Socialist through and through. Can’t stand the man!

I think all those who are centerist, right of centre, or left of centre will find it interesting and learn from it. I'm never sure intrenched extremists, either left or right want to learn anything new. But that is just my experience.

I don't think Blair is undermining the Labour Party. He wasnt from what I heard on R4 this morning.

I would agree Galaxy. This is bringing together speakers talking about "The Future of Britain" where core aims could be agreed by all not about political party playground "I'm right", "no I'm right" but what could be agreed on.

So far the quality and diverity of speakers has been amazing. Hopefully a recording will be accessable later.

It’s not that Blair isn’t brilliant at politics, in the sense that he is a master at playing the game – he is. It’s that he has had his go, and it largely failed and helped leave us in the mess we are now in. It’s a different system we need: Blair was the last shining star of an old politics whose time is up.

The Guardian, March 2022

Blair came up so many changes that in my opinion changed the British way of life and not for the better. Devolution. Changes to the GPs contracts. The human rights Bill. Iraq of course. David Kelly.

And for those who cite MSM manipulation - in 2011, Blair became godfather to one of Rupert Murdoch’s daughters! Unusual it itself.

I actually voted for him in 1997. Shook his hand. Was full of optimism for a government led by him.

He was charismatic. No self doubt.

The late (great in my opinion) Mo Mowlam once said of him “the trouble with Tony’s he thinks he’s f*****g Jesus”.

Will I be watching?
Hell, no.

He largely failed? There have been two labour PMS in the last 70 years. One was Blair. Thank God my definition of failure for the labour party is slightly different.

And for those who cite MSM manipulation - in 2011, Blair became godfather to one of Rupert Murdoch’s daughters! Unusual it itself

Exactly! A master of manipulation worthy of Johnson.

Blair’s policy of ‘letting the City of London do whatever it wanted helped crash the economy in 2008’. Failure on a pretty grand scale!

LizzieDrip

*It’s not that Blair isn’t brilliant at politics, in the sense that he is a master at playing the game – he is. It’s that he has had his go, and it largely failed and helped leave us in the mess we are now in. It’s a different system we need: Blair was the last shining star of an old politics whose time is up.*

The Guardian, March 2022

Have you a link to that, LizzieDrip? I'd be interested to know who wrote it. And what they consider to be a 'mess'.

For all his faults and shortcomings I think that Blair (and Brown) left the UK in a much better state than what we find ourselves reduced to now after 12 years of tory government.

But if you never get into power you never have to take any responsibility for anything so it's much better really.

LizzieDrip

Blair’s policy of ‘letting the City of London do whatever it wanted helped crash the economy in 2008’. Failure on a pretty grand scale!

It was Brown and Darling's prompt action which prevented the economy from crashing and leaving people with accounts in the most irresponsible banks with no money at all.

It was a global financial crisis, precipitated by the US, don't forget.

The economy was recovering nicely until the tories came along with their economically illiterate 'austerity' project. It's time people stopped believing the tory propaganda...

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/11/labour-tony-blair-adviser-government

Here’s the link Maisie. I agree with you, he left the country in a better state than it is now. I just think his time has gone and he’s ‘tainted’ to a certain extent. The more he becomes involved with current Labour, the more he may divide people - not want Labour needs!

So everyone is basing their comments on what Paul Johnson of the Institute of Fiscal Studies said? Or money saving expert Martin Lewis? Or Mete Cohan, CEO of My Life My Say. Or Rory Stewart. Or Monica Harding, Director of the Britain Project.

Or those who will speak after the coffee break?

LizzieDrip

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/11/labour-tony-blair-adviser-government

Here’s the link Maisie. I agree with you, he left the country in a better state than it is now. I just think his time has gone and he’s ‘tainted’ to a certain extent. The more he becomes involved with current Labour, the more he may divide people - not want Labour needs!

Does this view you hold of him means he cannot contribute the talents he has to the good of this country ever again?

LizzieDrip

*It’s not that Blair isn’t brilliant at politics, in the sense that he is a master at playing the game – he is. It’s that he has had his go, and it largely failed and helped leave us in the mess we are now in. It’s a different system we need: Blair was the last shining star of an old politics whose time is up.*

The Guardian, March 2022

That was actually written by Neal Lawson of "Compass", not a Guardian journalist.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/11/labour-tony-blair-adviser-government

Ooops! Cross post

Also the messaging of the Labour Party lately has definitely used techniques that I recognise from Blair.

Technology and Education now.

That was actually written by Neal Lawson of "Compass", not a Guardian journalist.

I think that Lawson makes a number of sweeping statements which perhaps don't stand up to scrutiny.

It would be interesting to explore just why people voted the way they did in the 2010 GE. Which wasn't exactly a conclusive victory for the tories IIRC... If the LDs had gone into coalition with Labour the UK could be a different place now...

Grr. I wish I could tell you who is talking at the moment. He's a surgeon/scientist from what I can tell but I'm afraid I don't recognise him. He is part of the World Economic Forum.

Yes, I know Galaxy which makes me wonder is this why Labour is still not really flying as high as it should be, given our current s* s* of a government. I think Blair muddies the waters, leading to people saying ‘I don’t really know what Labour stands for’ All I really want is for Labour to win the next GE - I don’t want Tony Blair (or anyone) to jeopardise that! If his ‘talents’ help towards a Labour victory then, I’ll take it! I’ll be the first to hold my hands up in glee and say I was wrong about him.

MaizieD

^That was actually written by Neal Lawson of "Compass", not a Guardian journalist.^

I think that Lawson makes a number of sweeping statements which perhaps don't stand up to scrutiny.

It would be interesting to explore just why people voted the way they did in the 2010 GE. Which wasn't exactly a conclusive victory for the tories IIRC... If the LDs had gone into coalition with Labour the UK could be a different place now...

I agree with you. It's important to consider who the writer is. Lawson was an adviser to Gordon Brown and a strategist for Blair during the 1997 election. In my opinion he has shrewd political insight as a commentator and I usually read what he writes in the Guardian or New Statesman. He pushes a number of ideas, including Universal Basic Income and it doesn't surprise me that he thinks Blair wouldn't be the right person for today. Nevertheless, "Compass" brings together a number of commentators from the "left" and I think Blair does still have a contribution worth making. It doesn't mean he's right about everything.

Peter Hyman is co-Director of Big Education talking about education now. I do wish you would watch it LizzieDrip. It's both a fascinating and so much more positive look at the future. You may not agree but it will spark more ideas, I think.