Blair's off to the Middle East

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 2:17 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6244358.stm

So, what do we reckon? Is he going to redeem himself by going all Jack Bauer and launching a one man rescue mission to free Alan Johnston?

Post by **Kaylee** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 2:28 pm

Good to see Cherie was magnanimous to the last, and nothing like a hissy, defensive money-grubbing wife of a sleezy ex-prime minister...

At the risk of sounding cynical I'd imagine ol' Tony's trying to beef up his reputation as self-styled international peace maker before awarding himself some sort of Nobel Peace Prize... coming soon from the man who helped bring you Iraq and Afghanistan!

Peace by any other name...

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:00 pm

Cherie was well funny, loved that bit as she got in the car.

Sad to see Tony go, best PM we have ever had.

Hes one of most respected diplomats in the world and seems to be a brillant negotiator, so maybe he can still use these skills to some effect on the world stage.

Every time someone says Gorden Brown, I just hear Golden Brown...

I love how some people think we should have a new election because Brown just walked into the postion, so did 3 other PM's...

Post by **Kaylee** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:12 pm

Blair did lotsa fine stuff no doubt, he just also did some very dodgy stuff (cash for honours etc.).

Personally I think an election would be a good idea, primarily because nobody voted for Gordon Brown to be leader of the country. Not necessarily right now, but relatively soon would at least look good from a public relations perspective. It's not as if Cameron's likely to beat him imo

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:16 pm

Gordon Brown is to Blair what Major was to Thatcher.

Sort of.

You could say that nobody voted for Blair to be leader.

Though sadly we are all au fait enough with the political system that most people probably regarded it as such.

Post by **Kaylee** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:17 pm

was that a leader != head of state joke?

if so I owe you another biscuit

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:19 pm

uhm... yeah... okay then!

Actually it was a figurehead-of-party / voting for local constituent representative nitpick. But yeah, there is that as well!

Post by **Kaylee** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:30 pm

Ah oi see!

TBH tho I know how the system works and I still vote for the bloke I want to run the country rather than my local bod

Mainly because local elections are full of dull nonentities imo and also because the guy running the country is the interesting big picture

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:34 pm

Yeah, they always claim that u are voting for your local MP but I think in reality most people vote for who they want to be PM - otherwise why would PM's bother to even go on a party political tour of the country before an election...

Bournemouth is useless for voting tho, the Tories win every time, theres almost zero point in even voting... actually I havent voted the last few times, I think its pointless in Bournemouth. theres million of old people who are taken down to the poll boothes on thier day trips, and are then helped to the booth by a Tory rep, who indicates what box to tick, its ******* stupid.

Post by **Kaylee** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 3:37 pm

Impactor returns 2.0 wrote:Yeah, they always claim that u are voting for your local MP but I think in reality most people vote for who they want to be PM - otherwise why would PM's bother to even go on a party political tour of the country before an election...

Bournemouth is useless for voting tho, the Tories win every time, theres almost zero point in even voting... actually I havent voted the last few times, I think its pointless in Bournemouth. theres million of old people who are taken down to the poll boothes on thier day trips, and are then helped to the booth by a Tory rep, who indicates what box to tick, its ******* stupid.

It's the same in Canterbury, it's a solid tory seat so voting is usually just for its own sake

Snowcat · Post by **Snowcat** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 6:23 pm

Let's hope a freak sandstorm buries Tony up to his neck in sand.

And then a camel pisses on him.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:47 pm

Brendocon wrote:uhm... yeah... okay then!

Actually it was a figurehead-of-party / voting for local constituent representative nitpick. But yeah, there is that as well!

So, nothing at all to do with drawing parallels between two Chancellors of the Exchequer who became Prime Minister without being candidates in leadership contests, then?

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:02 pm

Rebis wrote:
Brendocon wrote:uhm... yeah... okay then!

Actually it was a figurehead-of-party / voting for local constituent representative nitpick. But yeah, there is that as well!
So, nothing at all to do with drawing parallels between two Chancellors of the Exchequer who became Prime Minister without being candidates in leadership contests, then?

The first part was.

The second part was a nitpick that the only people who technically voted for Tony were the ones in his constituency, even if others just saw it as voting for him through their cipher candidate.

Cipher? Cypher? I can't be arsed to check.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:02 am

My respect for Mr. Blair jumped when I read why he helped the US invade Afganistan.