SE23.com
The community website for Forest Hill and Honor Oak, London SE23
Events | Features | Forum | Local Books | Contact
 

Forum Archive
Tony Blair's legacy as PM - am I bovv...

Author Message
Roz
Joined 17-03-2005
Posted on Thursday, 10 May, 2007 - 09:34 am:   

On what seems to be the day of ' the announcement', I thought I'd see who was interested ( or bovvered) in commenting on Tony's legacy as PM.

I can remember the 1997 general election well- as a then active member of the local Labour Party I did the usual campaigning and polling station stuff, and was up all night watching the count, followed by a celebratory alcoholic breakfast before trundling off to work .

Having had Thatcher and Major in power all my adult years it seemed to be an exciting time as we were on the brink of a real change and a real opportunity for a different kind of society.

I can't recall when exactly the disillusionment started to creep in- think it may have begun with the instant rounding on single parents by Harriet Harman or increase on VAT on domestic energy bills. Stealth taxes spring to mind, but the key issue for me and countless others was and remains the decision to support the US's stance on Iraq and the subsequent invasion, on a false charge, with no end game in sight. The subsequent and continuing loss of life on all sides, and the unsustainable situation for the Iraqi people is simply inforgiveable, and the legacy for all of us of only adding fuel to the already flaming fires of Western-Islamic relations will be felt for years to come. I say this reservedly as I feel that the decision to proceed with the invasion would have made by whatever party was in power- after all this had a lot of support across the parties - its just that I expected more discernment and thoughtful analysis and leadership from Labour.

Tony will have seven weeks left in power until the next PM is selected, and I find it interesting that he plans to spend 6 of these on a grand tour - of everywhere it seems but his own country.

Perhaps the parting headline will once again be ' Prime Minister visits Britain'.
Hilltopgeneral
Joined 24-03-2004
Posted on Thursday, 10 May, 2007 - 11:09 am:   

Perhaps you should be bothered, as Charisma Brown will probably lose the party the next election.
Roz
Joined 17-03-2005
Posted on Thursday, 10 May, 2007 - 11:23 am:   

Perhaps but faced with Charisma Cameron and whoever is now the leader of the LibDems( so charismatic I can't remember who it is) we may at last get away from the Camelot theme and get back to boring realpolitik....besides there may be a personality in there somewhere clamouring to get out....
Pvp
Joined 17-03-2005
Posted on Thursday, 10 May, 2007 - 02:35 pm:   

Roz - I too have experienced the same journey! In the 1990's I was very active for a while, now whilst I think people should generally acknowledge that things are overall better, deep down the level of progress has been disappointing. Above all else, the decision to support an invasion of another country that was no threat to us (and we have to once and for all let go of the notion that we are somehow doing those being invaded a favour. To paraphrase Ghandi, humanitarian military adventure is a wonderful idea in principle, not that it has ever been attempted). Behind the rhetoric, the 'good' reasons were never the driving factors, and shame on this country for many years to come.
Johnc
Joined 09-01-2007
Posted on Thursday, 10 May, 2007 - 03:02 pm:   

Any party or leader that has been in power for 10 years is bound to have some good results and some out and out stinkers. On the whole I think its been a better 10 years than any of the 3 decades that preceeded it.
Dotcom
Joined 21-04-2005
Posted on Thursday, 10 May, 2007 - 03:31 pm:   

Me too Johnc. The success of his leadership in the peace process in Northern Ireland has got to be recognised as a great achievement. It's a crying shame he didn't use his talents so creatively elsewhere. I think his pandering to the USA proved to be his biggest downfall. But, overall there were improvements made. Good for him.

(Shall I duck now)!
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
Posted on Thursday, 10 May, 2007 - 10:33 pm:   

Not that I care for the bloke but we were dancing in the streets in 97 and everyone overlooks a second historic landslide victory four years later. I believe Iraq was an enormous mistake, but half of the country felt otherwise and I recall the annoying John Gaunt on Radio London (he's still an opinionated pain on Talk Sport) talking about lilly livered bleed heart liberals opposing it. And where was the oppositon in any case? Torries were well behind it and the other lot don't count. Can anyone remember the protest song "Maggy Maggy Maggy" "Out out out", it then turned into Led Zeps Rock and Roll but to the words of "Been a long time since I was on the dole". Ohh the bad days of the 80s!
Hilltopgeneral
Joined 24-03-2004
Posted on Friday, 11 May, 2007 - 09:02 am:   

Has Major's role in the NI peace process been airbrushed from history now then, perhaps like Clementis in communist Czechoslovakia after he fell out of favour with the regime?

Likewise, it's very kind to give Tony 'n' Gordon credit for a decade of economic stability while ignoring the positive economic trends at the time they came into power, while simultaneously overlooking Gordon's moronic "knock down gold sale" and his large personal contributuon to the destruction of the UK pension system.
Ooperlooper
Joined 28-06-2006
Posted on Saturday, 12 May, 2007 - 10:10 pm:   

Under Tony and gang we've lost our diginity as a nation and must hang our heads in shame. We became the barking dog at the heel of a gangster, twisting truth and logic to serve self-interest and a pocket full of cash. If Britain were a person, we'd lock us up. A phoney, immoral war that has taken and destroyed the lives of tens of thousands - no matter how good Tony's record might be on the domestic front, surely nothing could ever make up for that?
Roz
Joined 17-03-2005
Posted on Sunday, 13 May, 2007 - 05:42 am:   

Agreed, OL, and there is also still I believe the small matter of an ongoing investigation into cash for honours ...?

The news today is that Cherie is going on the US lecture circuit, suggesting that they will all be spending more time over there in the next few years..
Hilltopgeneral
Joined 24-03-2004
Posted on Sunday, 13 May, 2007 - 10:00 am:   

At least that means "Postbox Mouth" / Crazy Frog QC will be on the front page of the papers less frequently, scaring small children and putting me off my breakfast.

The Greedy Twosome will need some cash for that mortgage, though...
Ooperlooper
Joined 28-06-2006
Posted on Sunday, 13 May, 2007 - 08:21 pm:   

I'll say one thing for Tony (or was it Alistair Campbell?) - he brought New Labour closer to the centre. Now that David Cameron is doing the same with his team, at last it seems they've realised that we don't want competing ideologies; we want the Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons competing to do exactly the same thing only more efficiently and to a higher standard.
Roz
Joined 17-03-2005
Posted on Thursday, 17 May, 2007 - 10:53 pm:   

Gordon seems to be warming up nicely - any movement on the SE23 swingometer?
I note with interest that TB has delayed the announcement of his retirement honours list. Wonder why.....
Roz
Joined 17-03-2005
Posted on Thursday, 17 May, 2007 - 10:57 pm:   

Meant to add whether anyone had any views on Labours record on the NHS as little has been mentioned on this site. Apparently something I read today was that whilst the reputation of the NHS was in tatters, peoples reports of their treatment was actually quite positive.

On a slight change of topic, I have noticed at Lewisham Hospital that some ground floor wards have been closed down and cleared out. Is this a practical measure or due to funding cuts and has this resulted in a reduced service?
Johnc
Joined 09-01-2007
Posted on Friday, 18 May, 2007 - 08:09 am:   

Roz,

Couldn't agree more. My dealing with the NHS have been very positive. My mother passed away with cancer a few years ago, and was in Lewisham hospital for a while. The last week of her life she wanted to come home to die. We had a special bed delivered, nurse visits 3 times a day, night sitters, and even received bereavement counciling and advice on what to do when she passed on. Couldn't fault the help and support we received.

On a personal note I was hospitalised (emergency call out) following an asthma attack. Ambulance turned up in no time, fast progress through A & E and was in Lewisham hospital for 3 days. Felt no pressure to free up the bed and they wouldn't let me go home until I was ready.

You can only speak as you find, but we are told so often that the NHS is in crisis, that you end up believing it.