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Blair on the left and the right

We were “the most successful centre-left government in the world”, says Blair.

By George Eaton Published 21 January 2011 11:48

Tony Blair has been giving evidence again at the Iraq inquiry for just over an hour, and the most revealing moment came when he was asked about the cabinet's fears ahead of the war.

He replied that, as members of "the most successful centre-left government in the world", ministers were most concerned by the prospect of an alliance with a "right-wing conservative Republican president". One likes to imagine that other concerns – the inevitable loss of civilian life, the increased terrorist threat, the empowerment of Iran – would have been at the forefront of ministers' minds, but here is a reminder of the primacy of politics over policy.

Incidentally, it might appear rather pompous of Blair to boast that he was the leader of what was the "most successful centre-left government in the world", but can you name any progressive administration that achieved more during the same period?

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Tags: Iraq Inquiry Tony Blair

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16 comments

Fri, 2011-01-21 16:05 — south pacific

I don't know what you lot call successful in Britain.

Judging from the UK on line papers and readers comments Blair's lot left the country in a mess.

Well I guess people interpret the word successful
in different ways.

Sat, 2011-01-22 12:07 — martybee (not verified)

Yeah he is, but...anyone for powerThatcher2.1

Fri, 2011-01-21 16:48 — Adam (not verified)

More successful centre-left govs? Well, successful in the "clinging to power regardless of how compromised in principle" sense or successful in the "pragmatic government in line with left wing principles" sense?

Clinton and Chretien come to mind. Göran Persson.

Sat, 2011-01-22 14:03 — iainburnshill

The use of the word "left"by a neocon such as Blair is a perversion of the language.

Sat, 2011-01-22 14:55 — francophile (not verified)

Well, Lionel Jospin's Socialist-ed government 1997-2002 was not only a full term government, but a great reforming government in France. Too bad that personal ambitions and rivalries led to so many "left wing" candidates in the first round of the Presidentials that they crowded Jospin out.

Fri, 2011-01-21 18:32 — Mat (not verified)

http://www.arrestblair.org/
This site, still online, offers a reward to people attempting a peaceful citizen’s arrest of the former British prime minister, Tony Blair, for crimes against peace. Anyone attempting an arrest which meets the rules laid down here will be entitled to one quarter of the money collected at the time of his or her application.

Money donated to this site will be used for no other purpose than to pay bounties for attempts to arrest Tony Blair. All the costs of administering this site will be paid by the site’s founder.*

The intention is to encourage repeated attempts to arrest the former prime minister. We have four purposes:

- To remind people that justice has not yet been done.

- To show Mr Blair that, despite his requests for people to “move on” from Iraq, the mass murder he committed will not be forgotten.

- To put pressure on the authorities of the United Kingdom and the countries he travels through to prosecute him for a crime against peace, or to deliver him for prosecution to the International Criminal Court.

- To discourage other people from repeating his crime.

Fri, 2011-01-21 20:14 — John P Reid (not verified)

Well Labour was re-eelcted with 42% of the vote in 2001

Sun, 2011-01-23 09:23 — Soapbox Fah-Fah

To the Hague with him!!!

Lets put him on trial!!!

Fri, 2011-01-21 11:53 — swatantra

Steady on Tony! Don't let it get to your head. The 1st term yes, but 2nd and 3rd term left much to be desired.

Fri, 2011-01-21 23:00 — Fruininut

Whats the difference between the North and South of a magnet... whats the difference between + 5 volts and - 5 volts... whats the differnce between up and down... the list is endless,the point is...as long as we fall for the idea that the left is different from the right the government will continually win... the only way to win is to realise that the left is exactly the same as the right. !

Fri, 2011-01-21 12:11 — Marcus (not verified)

The guy lives in his own little dream world where he was successful and loved.

In Tony's world, he never wakes up.

Fri, 2011-01-21 12:28 — Dark Heart of Toryland (not verified)

How can a government which presides over a massive increase in inequality combined with decreasing social mobility bed considered "the most successful centre-left government in the world"? The appalling arrogance and complacency of the man is utterly nauseating. It recalls all that was worst about New Labour.

Fri, 2011-01-21 12:38 — Lou (not verified)

He is the most egocentric politician in recent years and still a master of spin with no empathy,humility or any sense of mea culpa whatsoever.

Hate the way he gives the answer he wants to give rather than answer the question directly.

He says he always thought it possible Saddam would see sense - which begs the question what if he had because it's pretty clear that he was committed to taking out Saddam no matter what the evidence.

He also said, it was diffcult to admit the legal difficulties publicly and any chink in our position would have been a catastrophe. So basically, he did lie to the public and to parliament, he didn't make full facts available to the public or the House and therefore he lied by omission.

Fri, 2011-01-21 13:48 — Karyobin (not verified)

For the most insightful summary into Blair's psyche I'd recommend John Gray's 'Black Mass'. Put simply: Blair is beyond truth or falsehood - they have no relevance to him. He acts (and acted) according to his 'beliefs' - all his acts were in service to a greater utopian ideal. He is not to be judged by lesser men.

'The Dead Zone' anyone?