Tony Blair: What is your opinion?

Posted by: Big Brother on 20 August 2006

....Okay I'm no expert in British politics but I do know who the Prime Minister is..Thing is, here in the US, political talk seems dominated by recent events, we seem to have enough of our own problems !! Here in the states your prime minister seems to be viewed as more or less a sycophant to GW and from what I've heard he is one of the less effective represenatives of what is called "New Labour" . In a way he reminds me of his US counterpart Bill Clinton, who at first seemed to be someone with some useful ideas but came in the end to essentially represent the status quo...Laying political ideology aside, how does your current PM rank with those of the recent past eg., Major, Thatcher, Wilson ect, as a leader per say again putting aside ones own political beliefs...What is the current mood in the UK, is it sympathetic more towards Labour or conservative ? I realize I could just google this topic or go to the local library , but essentially I'm a lazy SOB so those two options are off !!
Posted on: 20 August 2006 by Phil Cork
just realised how riddled with spelling mistakes my post was Eek I can spell honest!

quote:
True. But why? I have often thought about this but I've never come up with anything other than it allows us to punch above our weight but can this be the only reason? Its a mystery to me. Any ideas anyone?


I think we're back to the official secrets act again...

Phil
Posted on: 20 August 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Phil Cork:
just realised how riddled with spelling mistakes my post was Eek I can spell honest!

quote:
True. But why? I have often thought about this but I've never come up with anything other than it allows us to punch above our weight but can this be the only reason? Its a mystery to me. Any ideas anyone?


I think we're back to the official secrets act again...

Phil


Phil,

Well...this is what I have always suspected but what could it be? I would love to know lol. Any ideas anyone?

Erik
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
... slimey and untrustworthy....


Surely they are two attributes that are common to all politicians - a politician is by nature somebody who wants to push his or her way to the top and, therefore, the worst type of person to be in government.

One of the best people to ever enter parliament was Guido Fawkes and the whole nation pays tribute to him once a year for so-doing. Who else, except Saints, has his own day.

Of course like everybody else, I'm always amazed at what an easy ride politicians get in the UK - the press seem loathe to say anything against them. I would like to see much more vitriol in the press regarding politicians. BTW why do they get paid from taxpayers money? Perhaps they should go and get a job.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Steve Toy
The problem with Blair is he's a ruthless liar. He says what he knows the electorate wants to hear and then does something completely different.

I blame the electorate for believing his lies every time he turns on the charm.

He does rely on the Scottish vote though, and Scots do very well out of him. For example if you want to attend an English University it will cost you around $5000 per year in fees; attend a Scottish University and it's free.

Scottish MPs can vote on issues that only affect England; English MPs cannot vote on issues that only affect Scotland.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Earwicker
He's cringesome. The fact that The People, as the grinning tosser so condescendingly calls the electorate, are stupid enough to vote for him doesn't make him good, nor does the opposition's failure to sink their teeth in to him make him a terrific politician. He's a total wanker who, like many wankers, believes himself to be truly amazing. His achievements speak for themselves. He's started pointless wars and spent vast sums of money getting nowhere.

EW
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Big Brother
With almost no support in his own party who would vote for him now ?? Scottish people or a bunch of disgruntled right wing Tory-Mick-Parry-Fairies ?? (is fairies the correct plural) I think not!! Who then, in his party is there to challenge him ? Must be someone in Labour with some guts and brains...anyone know who ?....
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Steve Toy
quote:
Must be someone in Labour with some guts and brains...anyone know who ?....


Stephen Byers has beeen making some nice noises recently about inheritance tax. Apart from that, all the good guys from the 1997 election victory seemed to have died.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Rockingdoc
quote:
Originally posted by Mick Parry:
BigBrother

To call any politician a wanker is in itself the act of a wanker. I used to meet a lot of MP's in my previous job and none of them were stupid. Mainly self centered and manipulative but never stupid.

Blair has undoutably made himself unpopular over Iraq and he has already stated that he will resign from office before the next election. He may or may not honour this promise.

Blairs major strength is that he is a brilliant politican during elections. He can manipulate interviewers and can successfully answer the most awkward of questions. He can run circles around the opposition, even the opposition admit that.

He has a good majority in the House of Commons and he could easily retain power if he fought the next election.

During the last election, pulic support for the Iraq invasion actually grew, mainly due to Blairs penchant of making bad things look good. He is a reformer and gets things done.

He is still a very competent politican and what worries the Labour party is that there is no one of any stature around to succeed him. Gordon Brown is such a dour sod that few people would want him as the leader.

My own view is that he will resign say 12 months before the next election and will do a Maggie Thatcher earning a fortune on the world lecturing circuits.

To answer your original question .. a very clever man.

Regards

Mick ... a Tory supporter who respects a formidable enemy.


Bloody Hell! I'm in complete agreement with Mick again. (Er.. apart from the last line)
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by erik scothron
'never stupid'??

I agree, having met a good few MPs, that none of them is unintelligent, indeed many are ferociously bright, however, many are manifestly stupid or at least they do stupid things, examples of which are many and too tedious to relate. I would say that unintelligence and stupidity are not always the same thing. Just as intelligence and wisdom are not always the same thing.

I prefer wisdom over intelligence any day. Bliar has little of the former and lots of the latter whereas Bush has neither and that makes them both dangerous, Bush doubly so. Good riddence to both says I.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Big Brother
When the History books are written many years from now, the likes of Blair,Clinton,Thatcher,Reagan,Bush et all won't amount to jack shite.. They will all be lumped together in a chapter entitled: "Dark Days, The Tory/Republican Backlash"...Thats what it is folks..a lash...and you and I be the ones bein' whipped. Any one who is not a multi millionaire/billionaire and votes for these people is living in a fool's paradise....
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Big Brother:

[QUOTE] Any one who is not a multi millionaire/billionaire and votes for these people is living in a fool's paradise....


And it is going to get worse, much worse, if we dont vote these creeps out of power ASAP.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by JonR
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:
Is he allowed a fourth term? Is there ever a limit as in the US? Truth be told I know very little about polictics.


That's one of the few good things about the US Constitution - a president is only allowed to serve a maximum of two terms. Which means that however much Bush may want to hold onto power, in two mercifully short years he will be forced to relinquish it.

UK prime ministers, however, have no such restriction. Therefore Blair, had he not been hamstrung by what even he subsequent realised was a dumb comment to make, could if he chose to stay on and win a fourth, fifth or sixth term, or more as long as the public continued to be gullible enough to elect him.

Whether his best mate G. Brown has as much electability, however, is another matter. I for one would rather the Tories didn't get to power any time soon, but right now anything is better than having to put up with Blair right now. He should be lynched. If only we could impeach him.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Earwicker
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:
I prefer wisdom over intelligence any day. Bliar has little of the former and lots of the latter

You think so? He doesn't seem to know his mouth from his arsehole to me.

Like all these narcissistic onanists, he believes himself to be quite essential, apparently believes himself - and I'm not joking here - to be underrated! Hah! I deem him to have sex with his hand on a regular basis. If ever one needed proof that any old tosser can make it...

I'd find him slightly more tolerable if he could pull his dick out of his own bottom and wipe that stupid grin off his face. And say "it" instead of "ut", "nurses" instead of "nursus".

A rare tosser indeed. I don't know, where would the country be without him? I think Mick should be Prime Minister!

EW
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Big Brother
quote:
I think Mick should be Prime Minister!

I see your point, if Blair can do it,then any old wanker can.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by erik scothron
chortle chortle..I knew this thread would be a good laugh.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:
quote:
Originally posted by Big Brother:

[QUOTE] Any one who is not a multi millionaire/billionaire and votes for these people is living in a fool's paradise....


And it is going to get worse, much worse, if we dont vote these creeps out of power ASAP.


Yeah, but who do we vote for?

Meet the new creeps, same as the old creeps.

Unless of course, Mick is standing - he's got my vote.
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by erik scothron
I vote for our Fritz. Why?

1/ According to Mick he needs a job.

2/ He is a European.

3/ He understands the third world because his folks come from Scotland.

4/ He understands the disadvantaged because he was in the Black Watch.

5/ He would have no truck with the US or Israel

6/ There is actually more sense (cryptic and over most peoples heads)amongst all his nonesense than some smug fools here manage who only see things in simplistic black and white and have no more insight than Jeremy Clarkson would spout giving a speach at a stag night.

This is not to say that I would vote for him in the real world, merely that I would vote for him sooner than some here, which is altogether a different thing.

Erik von just having a laugh innit*
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Phil Cork
I've only voted once in my adult life. Which job I hold, Country I live in, or mortgage I choose has a greater bearing on my life than who's in power. (In fact, the US president has such a huge bearing on UK life, that I believe the UK should be included in the US vote, with at least 100 electoral college votes! Winker)

Some will no doubt find this shocking, however a lot of voting takes place 'on principal' (ie my family are Labour/Tory voters) rather than a well informed decision to go for a party which offers a particular type of Government.

Reading a party manifesto and watching televised debates would possibly provide sufficient insight into what a particular party is offering, however they 'rarely' deliver on their promises anyway. In fact, I'm probably better informed on my choice of mortgage!

I tend to let them get on with it, and make personal choices which ensure a happy and prosperous life.

I think that if I did vote, I may well vote Green, not because I believe that the Green's would have a chance of getting in, but a large Green vote may well compel the self-interested major parties that they can capture a significant percentage of the Green vote if they promise and deliver on more Green issues than at present. Cynical, but likely to be true...

Cheers,

Phil

ps Fritz for the UN!
Posted on: 21 August 2006 by Big Brother
quote:
Meet the new creeps, same as the old creeps

Maybe you guys were better off when you had kings and queens, I've actually heard political statements by some of the current royal family that actually made a bit of sense, apperently the queen and prince have always been pro Labour and against the Iraq invasion. Of course if you are really 'cheesed' off as you say then just vote for some third party candidate as suggested in a previous post, even if it is something dodgey like Communist Reform Parrty of North Kent or some such tripe at least it's a spit in the eye of the powers that be.. Anyone for Bugs Bunny for prime minister/president ??....Big Brother
Posted on: 22 August 2006 by Big Brother
Yeah that's right, personally I think we would have been better off with Bugs...at least he had some savvy and charm..The current guy can't even say "Merry Christmas" without it sounding like a threat.. I mean, if he wasn't married, the guy couldn't get laid at a Chineese nudist camp....
Posted on: 22 August 2006 by Mick P
BB

If you do not approve of the administration, try doing something about it. You will find that most people who complain, do that and precisely nothing else. Hence they are failures and under achievers, in the political sense at least.

Also another trait by the lefties is that they try to put on an act of them being better informed etc. Fortunately the electorate recognises them for the fools they are.

The worst type of leftie is the sneering and condescending sort. Lots of cheap jokes about intellect etc. They are the ultimate electorial turnoff and in reality, GWBs best friend.

With fools like them as the opposition, Bush was all but guaranteed to win and win he did.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 22 August 2006 by Big Brother
quote:
you do not approve of the administration, try doing something about it. You will find that most people who complain, do that and precisely nothing else

Dear MP, Yes I do in fact,it's called a vote..Unfortunately: not enough 'fools' like yours truly to couteract the result.
quote:
. Hence they are failures and under achievers, in the political sense at least
Oh..I don't know old boy...our founding fathers complained bitterly. No failure among them and look at the result!!
quote:
Also another trait by the lefties is that they try to put on an act of them being better informed etc
Not a problem with the "righties" at least, most of whom in this country have never read a book(unless the TV Guide counts).... Regards.. Big Brother
Posted on: 22 August 2006 by Mick P
BB

If that is how your lot respond then the Republicans will win the next election without trying.

You sneery types never learn do you.

Regards

Mick
Posted on: 22 August 2006 by Big Brother
quote:
the Republicans will win the next election without trying.
Err..Would you like to make a wager on that...??
Posted on: 22 August 2006 by Mick P
BB

If you are a typical Democrat supporter yes.

One day you will get the message that the middle of the road electorate cannot abide negative sneering and you are very good at that.

You started this thread with a sensible question and I gave you a factual and sensible response. You then made a few personal jibes, fairies and old wankers etc.

You just shoot yourself in the foot time and time again.

Either change your approach for spend your entire life on the losing side.

Regards

Mick