So Tony Blair will be leaving No.10 by the end of the Wimbledon fortnight. Im not sure how to feel about this. I have a strange connection with Tony, and im sure most people my age do too-whether positive or negative. The reason for this is that he is all that I have ever really remembered. I can recall quite fondly that my Nan would always watch politics shows on a Sunday morning, and the PM's question time during the week.It would would be 'ark at him, ark at him!' or 'bloody pratt'. Im not sure how much Nan really knew about politics, but for me as a little boy It was great! It would be an hour of absolute concentration followed by 'who does he think he is' or the classic 'shhh listen', it would always be 'shoooshh listen', even if no one was saying anything. Nan hated Thatcher and she hated John Major even more, she was a working class diva through and through. For me she was my idol and heroine and so my first political stand was when I would run off to school and say to my friends that 'Thatcher is a cow' or 'Major is a pratt!'
I dont really know much about my nans life and how she came to be interested in politics. I know that during the war she was in the WRNS (women's royal naval service-also known as the Wrens) working as a messenger or telegraphist. I know that she liked to go out dancing and have a whiskey or two. I know she worked in a ladies taxi firm in the 70's (there was a lovely picture of her from a newspaper cutting when she worked as a cabbie, she is photographed getting out of one taxi. She had big hair and big sunglasses!). I know that she adopted my mother and my uncle Gary. I also know that she died with 10p in her purse. For nan, the conservatives were bastards, and for me this has never rubbed off. Many people will say that they believe in political theories or parties because they believe in the philosophy or thought behind them, but for me I just knew that all conservatives were bastards and couldn't be trusted. So at the age of 15 when Tony Blair came along with New Labour I knew that this was good, and so did most of the middle voters of the UK. (Nan never saw Labour or Tony Blair step into office, she passed away in June 1994, 3 years before the general election). Tony Blair was the saviour of the people, the new wonderboy, a hero! 'Things can only get better' by D:ream played and for five minutes, just five minutes the whole of the UK was happy and content. Happy! The first time in years! Im not going to list all the bad and wonderful things that Tony has done since he has been in office, I wont brood over migration, the EU, NHS or welfare state - I will leave that to the people who are never be happy with their lives or any PM who is in power. What I will say is simple, if the conservatives get back in power what the hell is going to happen? Seriously, it will be like stepping back into the 80's, and no one wants that-not even Axl Rose. If my nan was here today, she'd have a field day.
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6 comments:
Oooh, how beautiful!
What will Mr Blair do after he left No 10? He probably can't give up politics. Just thinking about this now. but, interesting posts. go ahead.
Oh come on, Matt! After all, Blair has done more good in that one decade than it was realistically expected. And perhaps he is not the one to blame?
There have never been a parliament in Britain or in whole europe who would have put so much attention to the social/public policy! This is what really matters (social policy is socialist states = non existent?). It hasnt been perfect, but it hasnt been that bad, not at all! What hasnt change is the British and their self centered politics, I cannot see Tony being fully responsible for that?
Gap between rich and poor is a global phenomena, it happens everywhere, Im sure that even you can admit that world markets and globalised capitalism are slightly more powerful than New Labour. Greenhouse gas emissions were lower 10 years ago? Of course they were!
And the other thing, this was very beautiful and personal post from Dave, shall we leave political debate out of it? I think its rather rude to attack on the post like this
whatever tony did in those 10 years or so doesnt really matter. does it? what counts is that it wasnt the tories who were in power. thats important. nothing else. and hopefully this will stay so for the next years. be it mr brown or liberals. also, in the end it is politics we are talking about. and politics have their own rules. tony cant just enact a law as he likes. politics cant change the worlds and they never can. expecting this isnt the right thing to do. rather thinking about how the growing conservatism could be stopped. we dont need this.
Hello Dave, i'm sorry about the comment i left last night, it wasn't trying to be an attack or anything, but like Vuokko said, it was rude, my apologies, i had a bad evening, no excuse i know, but the best reason i have to offer
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