Going, Going, Gone…
Tony Blair will stand down as Prime Minister on 27 June, this comes as no surprise to anyone. Gordon Brown is expected to take over without any contest but will he be able to keep the New Labour ship afloat?
In his farewell speech Tony Blair acknowledged “his government had not always lived up to high expectations” and while he has had some successes under his premiership, for example, the Northern Ireland peace process and securing the Olympic bid for 2012. Tony Blair also made several mistakes and caused several major calamities too, Iraq for one and his too slavish an adherence to US policy and massive tax hikes across the board without any discernible improvement in key public services.
David Cameron hit the nail on the head when he stated that “a lot of people will look back on the last 10 years of dashed hopes and big disappointments, of so much promised so little delivered.”
In 1997 Tony Blair came into power with good intentions but his top down, presidential style of government has damaged the credibitility of politicians from across the UK.
There is no doubt the New Labour spin machine has realised this and are trying to sell Gordon Brown as a PM with a difference, the serious Prime Minister, ditching spin for substance?
