Blair's score draw
How does he do it? His government crashes - thanks to a lethal mix of alleged sleaze, corruption and incompetence. The wreckage is still burning. Yet the pilot walks through the flames with a broad grin on his face, blaming everyone else for what's gone wrong and pledging to clear up the mess.
Today Tony Blair claimed that the deportation of foreign prisoners was not a problem his government had created - but one that they were solving. ("Oh that's alright then" I hear you cry). Having airily dismissed his failure to implement his old policy, he turned to the future and pledged to introduce a new one. A change of the law will mean that the working assumption will be that all foreign criminals will be deported whatever their crime rather than - as now - merely considered for deportation if their sentence is longer.
Just like Margaret Thatcher before him, Tony Blair has the ability to ask what on earth the government is up to - like a caller to a radio phone-in - and then promise to sort it out.
At Prime Minister's Questions (watch it here) it proved to be a neat trick. He changed the subject, neatly sidestepping today's revelation that half of the most serious prisoners who could and should have been deported are still on the run. He put himself on the side of ordinary voters and in agreement with his most fervent critics in the press. He sought to embarrass the opposition parties for opposing many of his previous reforms to tighten up asylum policy on human rights grounds. Finally, he achieved a score draw (at worst) in the theatre that is the Commons - and, yes, that does still matter.
Tony Blair's objective is to convert this from a question of Labour's competence to yet another battle between him and the civil libertarian lobby. He relishes fights with his backbenchers and the courts. What he hates is the suggestion that, whatever he says, his ministers aren't up to the job.
An ally of David Cameron told me recently that the Tory leader and his friends are often in awe of the PM's capacity to walk free from troubles that would destroy anyone else.
I don't doubt that after what he said were nine days of bad headlines there'll be more to come. I don't doubt that the local elections will be anything but good for him. But today it could - and arguably should have been - much much worse.
Update 1700: As if to prove my point, the Prime Minister's official spokesman has just said that the new proposals amount to "the biggest change in deportation arrangements for a generation and we are quite well aware of that". He went on to say "we expect these matters to be likely to be challenged in the courts. We also expect these matters may be controversial in the media - so be it."
That's Westminster code for "please, please can we have a row about this"!
I'm 
Comments
Does TB ever consider answering a question? all we seem to get is the parrot, repeating the same old mantra's. Things didn't get better did they?
This legislation will eventually be struck down by the courts on human rights grounds. The judges will simply uphold the legislation that this government has brought forward under the Human Rights Act as they have done before. They have to differ to the will of parliament in creating that piece of primary legislation. The government can say it has done something but was thwarted by the judges. The judges know this is bunk but can't do anything about it. Foreign criminals walk free. Back to square 1. Of course if they really wanted this legislation to stand the government could expressly deviate from their own legislation. They won't of course because this is not an exercise in doing something, it is about being SEEN to be doing something. They chuck you guys a bone and you go away a gnaw on it for a bit while they get away with murder. Open your eyes.
Tony Blair is quite right when he says "It is completely wrong to say that this problem was created or began under this home secretary." It was overseen by his previous appointments, David Blunkett and Jack Straw. The answer to the dysfunctional Home Office is not to pass more legislation which it cannot manage. The real failure is the failure of the Prime Minister to face up to that. Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime ? I don't think so.
I too was pretty amazed at PMQs today. It's as if Tony Blair was blaming everyone else, i.e. the opposition, for the whole saga about Charles Clarke. I think it was pretty obvious that David Cameron looked baffled by the response he got from the PM each time he furthered his argument. Now he seems to want to legislate the problem away, we haven't seen any responsibility taken at all, they might have said they are responsible but nothing has happened, they haven't even lost a house point.
Score draw in the Westminster village maybe, but in the country most people will think he is desperately trying to avoid responsibility.
you say "SLEAZE, CORRUPTION AND INCOMPETENCE". OK, INCOMPETENCE MAYBE, BUT WHERE DOES THE SLEAZE COME IN, AND IN PARTICULAR THE CORRUPTION?
In case, for some odd reason, you should think that in the light of Tony Blair's comments it's all alright then, just read David Davis's dissection of the current government's handling of this. Let's hear TB's answers to Davis's 8 questions before we let Blair and his incompetents off the hook.
John Brewer (05.26pm comment) sums it up beautifully, and it will be interesting and probably frightening when 'eyes are eventually opened'
The home secretary's statement does not mention separate arrangements for EU citizens, so if the law is passed in this form, it almost certainly will be struck down. Under EU law no Member State can deport an EU citizen unless they represent "a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society". Like it or not, most people convicted do not fall into this category.
I'm with John Brewer on this. You guys know that Mr Blair is acting like a - well a lawyer - and you swoon with awe as he pulls this or that stunt. In this case not answering the question as usual and then talking about laws to "solve" the problem. There is no problem with the current laws and the new ones won't come in becuase the government signed us up to the human rights act. Come on Nick, please!
How disappointing! These past nine days should have been the time when the Tories really laid into the government and showed Prescott what it's like when the boot's on the other foot. Instead, the emphasis is on the environment and, would you believe it, the science of happiness that Cameron seemed particularly enthralled about on the 10 o'clock news last night!
To be fair, it's not a very complex code, is it? Moreover, a punch-up makes for a pretty effective change of subject, doesn't it, even if it doesn't lead anywhere in the longer term. I can't believe Blair still gets away with it: it's a trick I wish I could master.
The problem isn't the existing legislation; it's the enforcement of it. We don't need a presumption to deport; we need proper consideration of each individual's case and swift deportation of those who remain a threat to us
David Cameron may be in awe of the PM's capacity to walk free from troubles that would destroy anyone else, but he can afford to play a long game. A General Election is at least four years away and Mr Cameron will not be facing Mr Blair. The longer the egotistical Mr Blair stays around playing Houdini, the more troubles he piles up that would destroy anyone else. I do not think Mr Brown or whoever - sooner or later - takes over the leadership of the government will thank him for that. But perhaps Mr Blair is unconcerned about what happens to the Labour party after he leaves office?
Again there was no Gordon Brown in PMQ's, I'm sure the excuse will be given that he was out campaigning. But it does not show much loyalty to the PM or his fellow Cabinet members that he is not willing to back them up. Mr Brown has yet to publically back Charles Clarke or Patrica Hewitt, does not look at all impressive. I thought the PM and Charles Clarke both gave impressive performances today considering the open goals for the Tories one would have expected better from them.
I must confess I do admire Tony Blairs gall and ability to escape these crises,and as long as the tories dont make a breakthrouogh tomorro w in the elections Blair and his party can breathe a sigh of relief. This crackdown on foreign criminals will certainly be popular with people.Nobody but a fool would shed a tear for a foreign rapist or murderer who is forcibly deported after all.Who knows,maybe Blair will pull through and end his premiership in 2 or 3 years time as popular as he began it.Unlikely,but hes still hoping for it.
One has to hand it to Blair,when his back is to the wall he comes out fighting and boy does he win. Today Cameron had another of his punch and judy shows and Blair as per usual wiped the floor with him. Cameron simply is not good enough when taken away from the staged set-piece and he certainly cannot think fast enough to retaliate when Blair comes at him with facts and figures. Cameron has been presented with circumstances that previous Tory leaders would have given their eye teeth for and has not been up to the job.If he does not do exceedingly well in this Thursdays polls, just wait for the muttering on Tory back benches.
Kenstor, where have you been?
Sleaze = Prescott's affair
Corruption = loans for lordships
Nick's interesting blog points up the fact that, like him or loathe him, you have to admire Blair's political skills. He is without question the greatest politician of his generation. Against Blair at his best, Cameron looks like an undergraduate being given a dressing down at a university tutorial.
I suspect that if Blair does go soon and Brown takes over, it will not help the Labour Party at the polls. Blair would serve his party best by continuing as PM until about a year before the next General Election. Then his successor (and I'm not convinced it will be Gordon Brown) can enjoy a honeymoon period, and then a probable Election victory.
Oh, by the way, I am not a member of the Labour Party and, although it is one of three political parties I have voted for, I have not voted Labour since 1997.
If anything, you've got to admire Tony's front.
He has more front than Brighton and Bournemouth put together.
Hi Nick. Do you think Tony Blair was conspicuous by his absence during Charles Clarke's statement to the house? :)
Nick,
You are too close to Westminster Village politics.
You do not recognise a miscreant leader.
Are you not supposed to in your job ?
Try not to praise when objective comment is required.
TB is using his old trick again - promising tough legislation. This time it is against foreigners committing crimes in this country. You may remember that he offered something similar legislation against the terrorists and individuals who incite terrorism. The only problem is he never passes the legislation because the government does not make the law, it is the courts and the judges, who are by the way unelected. So do not hold your breath, nothing will change, and soon we will foreget this saga as we move on to the next crisis.
A nurse's reply to Kenstor:
sleaze 1= Prescott;
sleaze 2= Clarke witholding figures on criminals;
sleaze 3=Hewitt witholding figures on NHS staff & students to become redundant;
sleeze 4= Hewitt not saying how PFIs will recoup their cash when hospitals downsize;
corruption 1=cash for ermine;
coruption 2=voting fraud;
As for your take on today's events, Nick, still mesmerised by the radiance of the sun king? Symbiosis of media and politics.
If Michael Howard had said what Blair said today the media would cry 'racist'. No wonder he gets away with it!
I think 'Sleaze' would refer to John Prescott's affair, and corruption maybe a hint at the Loans scandal?
As for this prisoners debate, although it is bad, I'm lead to believe it's only come to light because Labour have put some sort of system in place. In that respect, they're no worse than any other Government.
Why is a new law needed?
Under the current system, whatever the Judges' recommendation is, the Home Secretary makes the final decision on all foreign prisoners.
All that is needed for the system to work is a prison service and Immigration service that talk to each other occasionally and a competant Home secretary.
Oh, so thats why we need a new law.
I think it bizarre that for all the horrible news and venom heaped upon the government in the last few days, at PMQ's the Leader of The Opposition lands barely a blow on the Prime Minister. What are we to do? David Cameron could not ask for a more benign environment in which to undermine the government but he simply has no "bang", no "oomph". He needs some lessons from dear old William Hague, who as I remember used to dance around TB reigning blows like Muhammad Ali. How much fun would he have had with the last week's worth of ammunition? Given the recent half-life of Tory leaders, how long, I wonder before the knives are sharpened and Cameron feels the twinge of cold steel? Get in there Dave; you may never have a better chance. The hunter all too soon becomes the hunted. Just ask Tony.
So the Public Accounts Commitee is kindly setting the government agenda. They've unearthed a nice little mess sitting comfortably under the ample Mr Clarke. Any chance they could be pointed at Prescott?
Maybe the labour party should wake up to realise what a stunning political asset Tony Blair actually is. Like all effective politicians he is a superb actor (remember the make-up bill?). And an outstanding tactician when it comes to outwitting the opposition - whetherthey be on the benches opposite or the cheap seats behind him.
Can you imagine Gordon Brown having the chutzpah to bring off this sort of trick? Maybe the Brown succession is the Tories' secret electoral weapon. Labour will miss TB when he's gone - much as the Tories missed Thatcher when she had been defenestrated.
Here's my take on it!
The tories will win a lot of seats in tomorrow local elections and take control of many boroughs along with the Lib Dems.
Then he will get the law passed to deport the wrongdoers but make the local councils responsible for the deportation and funding.
Council taxes will have to go up to fund it.
Bingo "Teflon Tony" escapes again!
Well he's done it for most other things.......health, education, police etc.....
Nick,
Your latest blog, 'Blair's Score Draw', merely highlights the yawning gap between between what passes for a crisis or a resigning issue as far as you and most of the media are concerned, and the true reality of the situation as correctly observed (thank goodness) by millions of ordinary voters the length and breadth of the Country.
Exactly what 'government crash' are you talking about? Its obvious that you would give your right arm to nail Tony Blair but I'm afraid that you're going to have to wait until he actually makes a genuine mistake, you know the type I mean, as opposed to the media generated variety - don't hold your breath though.
kenstor: Sleaze? You don't think that the deputy PM not having one, but two (and counting?) affairs is not sleazy? I do. Corruption? So much media attention has been focused on the latest crap from the amoebas that run our country, need I remind you of Tessa Jowell? Just because she was cleared doesn't take away the fact that corruption has been linked back to the Labour party. It may be unfair. Welcome to politics.
At one point today Blair actually used the phrase 'I want to pose this question'when answering Menzies Campbell. Why can the speaker or a questioner not remind the PM that he is there to answer questions not to pose them?
Misquotation from Kipling may apply to Mr Blair at the moment: "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, it means you haven't the foggiest idea what's going on.
I guess when you fill the cabinet with trained lawyers, then it is no surprise that their only recourse to everything is more laws. However, as this country is learning to its detriment: these laws mean nothing if they cannot be enforced. It is clear that Tony and his team are not actually up to the (quite considerable) challenge of reform across the public sector; that would require some actually genuine hard work. It has been much easier to spin and control the media.....and see how easily the media fall into the trap, rather than staying on the key issue of the mistakes that have been made, the attempts to cover them up and the incompetence and culture of secrecy that allow this to go on.
People elected Tony Blair as PM at 3 sucessive elections and even if he has reservations about going on and on like Mrs T, PM is at his best eloquency as displayed today for years.
How does Blair get away with it? No huge mystery there! Because we have a weak and ineffectual opposition, a deeply undemocratic system, and a media which is way too up close and personal with Westminster and allows itself to be used as a PR spokesbody every time instead of asking the real questions.
It’s not another knee jerk policy to a political scandal or new amendments of current laws that is required, just individuals in doing their job in the first place.
If Blair says that certain things (such as deporting criminals) cannot be done because of human rights legislation, we should remind him that it was he who signed up to the charter of human rights in the first place.
I find this strange watching from afar. A new law isn't needed, just the correct application of the one that is in place now. Is Mr Cameron and Co. not capabale of making that simple point? Mr Clarke (and appeantly Mr Blunket and the demon headmaster) failed to implement the law of the land, attempted to for several months and then his incompetence was known to all. I think there is room for dismissal there. TB is tarnished yet further for not acting on this.
Yes I do agree with Iain Stevenson comments. The Prime Minister has definately won this fight with the Tories and he gave his old opposition pal (Howard) a beating as well.
I do think the emphasis on tackling the problems now that it has happened is going to go down well with the public. Without a doubt, the Tories are acknowledging this behind closed doors.
There is going to be more wrangling over the next few days but if today is anything to go by and if no surprises turn up - Mr Blair will be crowned winner and in the given circumstances, by some margin.
You ask how Mr Blair does it. He does it because of a sympathetic media. As soon as they change their mind, he's finished. Cf. the former Mrs M H Thatcher, winner of multiple elections, who somehow mysteriously disappeared one day.
In years gone by prime ministers would have been embarrassed into calling a Commons vote of confidence in their government, when faced with so many blunders. TB however simply puts on his faltering apologetic act (as if we will feel sorry for him) then bluffs his way out of the mire by ignoring criticism and waiting for the press to get bored. He knows that the media’s insatiable appetite for fresh stories will come to his rescue when some other big headline arrives to take the heat off him.
Nick, the 'Pilot walking away from the flames' was a beautiful analogy.
That's all I need to say.
However bad it clearly gets for Blair - and he
is proving again and again that he is completely useless - the more it is obvious that the Conservatives made a tremendous error in electing the totally lightweight Cameron. No opposition leader has ever had better ammunition than he has over the last short period and he has abjectly failed to use it. He should get on his bike and keep pedalling. effectively.
The Problems with Criminals having rights when murder or rape is concerned, is nothing but a lience for them to get away with it, using the Law against the Law...
Laws should be brought in Stripping Rapists, and murders of all their rights,for the duration of their sentance, so justice is done all the way round...
All the time, action is not taken in this way, the law will protect the Criminal....
Automatic Disamblement of rights should be brought in for such criminals...
where there is clear evidence the criminal committed the crime....
If they are from another country they should then serve their prison sentance in their own country...With a police escort to take them all the way..
No point just deporting people, They would be on the next boat back with a fake id!.....
The other Area TB should consider to change is the solicitors who act for criminals knowing full well they are guilty and in many cases they get them off!
Somehow It seems nothing will work for this country till the whole System is reformed.
I suspect (as do many others) that apart from just sheer incompetence, that many departments within the Home Office and other ministries are suffering from "institutional liberalism" where operatives are just too terrified or too apathetic because of political correctness to do their jobs properly. I trust this is not the situation but I have a the horrible misgiving that it could be the case. If this is so the country is in terrible trouble because it appears to be infiltrating in to so many facets of our national life, such as education, the media and government at all levels. It really does need to be recognised and combated and I for one am dreadfully concerned about the future of this nation.
Tony Pulled all the tricks out today. Getting his own MP's to blow the Labour trumpet and say "look at our great achievments", whilst yet again blaming a problem associated with his government as "something the tories are to blame for" through his "decades of problems" reference over the foreign prisoners deportation fiasco. Yet again he sidestepped questions, with gleeful smiling throughout.
He is a man who won't admit to his owm party's shortcomings. A man who has achieved little for this country compared to the previous scandal, sleeze, "dodfy dossiers", war, croneyism, and a man that admits he isn't going to last the term (as economics teaches us Tony - never let the end game known - Game Theory - ask Gordon about it). Who would have thought at the last general elections that voting labour to save the NHS would involve cutting staff levels drastically. To be fair, Tony is a man who has done little, smiled lots and walked away from the wreckage more times thany anyone in a corporate job would. For that... I hope the local election results wipe that smile off his face.
Recently, in our A-level history classes, we have been discussing Hitler's consolidation of power. Whilst I am not making any connections in terms of policy or thinking between the two men, Hitler was highly effective in persuing a similar goal - to appear to be detached from the rest of the party - the "ordinary" good old man who'd sort problems out - i.e. a man of the people. Indeed, to his opponents, Hitler's Night of the Long Knives looked like he had lost control, purging the SA. But in fact, it simply made Hitler's personal power and charm more resolute in the public's eyes. I find it fascinating that you Nick have observed this ability of Blair to "detach" himself from the chaos, and at least in the public's eyes to be "one of them". It worked for Hitler - his popularity ratings in Nazi Germany were consistently high. Even Jews in the Third Reich believed Hitler would save them (Kemperer's diaries in aprticular, published c.1990) All in all, an example by both of brilliant leadership.
Nick
Theresa Notts version of PMQ's must be in her dreamworld!. The PMQ's I watched today had Tony on the run from the outset - as you rightly said his only ploy was to find fault with everyone - but himself !. One of these days he might even inadvertently give a straight answer to a straight question - sometimes even I live in a dreamworld like Tony and Theresa!.
Keep telling us as it is Nick - your reporting of the political scene is always refreshing, robust, impartial and informative. Since the great days of John Cole objective political journalism at the ´óÏó´«Ã½ sadly has been on the decline -thank you for restoring it.
Mr Blair is a consumate politician. Contrary to some of the views aired, he has his finger on the pulse of society at large. He knows what is wrong - he wants to fix it. He also knows - like most of us - that what is wrong in government now was wrong before and always has been wrong. What society now knows - thanks to the merciless clarity of modern media - is that @&!% happens - whoever is in charge. For all the great drama - Mr Blair seems unaffected - just as the rest of us are unaffected by Prescotts affairs - a few more ex prisoners out of jail and all the rest of it. We care about our jobs, our homes and our health (if it goes wrong) and TB just keeps delivering to most of us.
Teflon Tony will continue until someone lands a killer punch but in all probability it will come from a stab in the back. The opposition need some dogs of war not poodles.
In your previous entry you claimed you are not doing the bidding of the Government - but can still somehow claim that Blair's performance today was anything other than incredulous. Even blaming a politician who wasn't even elected.
It was an abject performance that proved that not even Tony Blair can justify the Government's performance on this.
Please Nick, say it as it is, not as No 10 wants it. Please, please Please. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is in danger of being destroyed by their current totally one-sided performance. It is worse now than it ever has been.
The biggest problem the Conservatives have when trying to deal with Tony Blair, is that he is, infact, a Tory! Whilst they may disagree with him tactically; strategically they are on the same side. This makes it very difficult for them to really, and effectively cirticize him, because one continually ends up criticising oneself. On a wider level - has Britain infact become a one party state? In reality, don't we really have one, very large party, with three "left of centre" wings? Personally, I think we've entered a new historic paradigm. The "post-democratic age" is what I call it.
I watched PMQs today and found it amazing that the Tories seemed unable to think on their feet. No wonder DC seems in awe of TB, the opposition let him play his game at his pace. No shoulder charges or late tackles. Couldn't even see evidence of a bit of shirt pulling.
Nick, can't quite make up my mind about your opening paras; is there something partisan beginning to show from under your slip?
Why is it if you can see these awful tricks that Tony Blair uses to escape the consequences of his mismanagement you write an article praising his ability rather than denouncing his duplicity? Perhaps the people should be allowed to elect ´óÏó´«Ã½ journalists in the future.
Perhaps I am missing something. Maybe Nick or someone can enlighten me. As far as I see, Charles Clarke did not know that former prisoners were not being considered for deportation. Then he found out, and ordered a change of policy. For various reasons, familiar to anyone working in a large organisation, those changes were not implemented immediately.
Nor are these people 'on the run', they had served their sentences and were therefore freed - quite rightly. What I find disturbing is how this crucial fact - these people are legally free, not prisoners - has been obscured in almost all media and public discussion. Many people are under the impression that they have been 'let off' or released early, neither of which is true.
I am no fan of this government and I believe Blair should have resigned years ago. On this issue, however, I think they have been the victims of some quite unjustifiable criticism. This in turn is going to lead to knee-jerk policy responses, probably to detriment of the country in general.
As someone who follows politics, I am in agreement with the PM, that the relationships between the Immigration Services, the Prison Services and the Courts are so complexe, it seems to anyone who looks into them as if there are working independently and against each other. It is true that the overall responsibility incombe to the Home Secretary, but we all forget that the day to day management is down to civil servants.
And what I have never understood with journalists, it is that every issue is a matter for resignation, for bashing the government, for treating people of incompetence. They give the impression that they could do better the job politicians are doing. It is so depressing sometimes, for people who have never stood for elections to pretend they know better than anyone else, simplement because they find themselves writing a piece in newspapers or other media outlets.
Whatever one might say about the Labour government, for people like us who have seen the Tory government, I would always prefer a Labour governement any day.
So, nothing like this happened before 1997 then?
Perhaps before 1997 it was the fault of single mums...remember the time when they were to blame for everything?
Remember when teaching children religious tolerance was a pernicious attempt by "Loonie Lefties" to turn us all into rabid socialists?
Want your rights as a same sex partner in a relationship recognised?
Want a minimum wage?
Want your human rights policed by an international court?...let's go back in time and ask the tories about that little wish list shall we?
Things have not got better and changed?
I would say that for a very considerable, and largely voiceless (in media terms), number of people, things are very much better indeed.
We'll see what happens after the votes are counted on Friday morning.
Why new laws when the old ones aren't enforced? Half of the most serious criminals have vanished. As usual, more spin - I suspect that most people have had enough.
If Charles Clarke had resigned last week, it would have conveyed how seriously HMG took the situation and he could have been back in the Cabinet within 3 months. His blustering is not convincing.
Parallels are drawn between the recent scandals and John Major's "Black Wednesday". This is in fact may be more serious. Labour face having their campaigning base obliterated. Iraq alienated many and this blundering may well do huge damage to Labour's local government presence. This also happened to the Tories in the 1990s.
'Teflon Tony' strikes again. Blame it on anyone except those who are ACTUALLY responsible. It is nothing short of scandalous that Clarke and Prescott still hold two of the highest offices in this country. Just WHAT will it take before these pathetic excuses for Ministers actually accept responsibility for their individual failings. We don't need new legislation, we need competent and efficient Government departments to IMPLEMENT the existing laws EFFECTIVELY.
How does he do it? He just reminds people how hopeless the last Tory government was. It was odd that Michael Howard jumped up to give him even more opportunity than the hapless David Cameron (Has he ever considered deviating one iota from his carefully rehearsed questions in the light of Mr Blair's answers?) did.....
Blair has no shame. The difference between now and the past is that the electorate in general can see what a sham of an actor he truly is. Come on Blair, you had huge potential, but achieved little - your machine has run out of spin and it is time for you to go!
I think that TB's tactic can be best described as "declare victory and, well, attack".
Totally dishonest and quite breathtakingly awesome.
Whatever people say about the absence of effective opposition, it's this man's refusal to tally the score in any conventional manner which is amazing. He annoints himself the winner every time, and we all look on in shock and disbelief.
No logical argument can succeed against this amount of chutzpah.
Alex, Arsene, Jose - watch it and applaud the true master.
How about TB for the England job ?
(Sorry, Gordon asked me to put that in.)
I really enjoy Nick Robinson's disection of what is going on in politics. He looks behind the presentational skills of the PM and the party and interprets what is really going on. Quite a refreshing change from ´óÏó´«Ã½ morning news announcing that their TOP STORY is Tony Blair asking voters to forget about the bad headlines and focus on the past nine years of erm, well there you go.
I take heart in the current plethora of news stories, which suggests that the New Labour spin machine has, at least temporarily, lost control of the news agenda.
Who writes Blairs scripts, JM Barry? He will never be able to implement his latest "eye catching initiative" of deporting known criminals. His wife wont let him!! This,yet to be, piece of legislation will cost the taxpayer (you & me) millions, on appeal after appeal in the courts & ultimately the Lords, after which it will be,thanks to Tonys' Human Rights, decided against his "fag-end" government. He really does live in Fantasy-Land.
It makes you wonder, what is Mr Brown thinking right now? In fact where is he? He's been effectively mute throughout this saga. His best friend is in serious trouble, Can he keep out of this for long?
Once more the Artful Dodger skips away leaving his coat in Opposition hands. But in the end, even the Artful will get his come-uppance! Yup, it's retirement in Barbados looming, and a load of old Cliff Richards' 45's to listen to as the sun goes down on the New Labour Empire. Every Napoleon meets his Waterloo. And Every used-car Salesman sells that one too many!
If the BNP make significant gains, which would not surprise me, that will put the cat among the pigeons. Britain: A good country to be from. A long way from.
Sorry but you just don't like it do you. It doesn't fit the story. PM's worst week ever turns out not to be again. What are we going to do? PM shrugs off media nonsense.....hmm not much of a story, so, ok lets ignore it. Next week will be the worst ever I'm sure and will report that. Dull, dull,dull.
Mr Blair's triumph at PMQ was not one of style but of substance. Whilst Cameron made childish "Punch and Judy" style comments, Blair showed understanding of the origin and solution to the problem.
The contrast between Blair's record of dealing with the problem and Cameron's record of ignorance and negligence in relation to the issue, as outlined by Blair at PMQ, is most important.
To pretend that this is a Labour-made crisis is ridiculous.
Nick - never mind the Human Rights Act or whatever other escape clause the government will use not to implement this 'tough new legislation' relating to deportation - please ask your mate Tony this.. (and we want a straight answer - if thats not a contradiction in terms..).
'Prime Minister - what happens when a foreign prisoner is to be deported, and the receiving country refuses to take him (or her)..?'
Well done, Tony. You are still the best choice for PM despite the current problems.
We know it's not going to happen as Brussels have stuck their nose in and said that such action will be a beach of EU laws.
Yet again we have the rhetoric, but no substance and no action.
We are being served a ration of placebo's and told they will have an effect, but the patient is still ill, if not terminal.
Balir's ability as a lawyer to avoid the issue and cast doubt and shadows, never answering the question, but quickly moving on to those issues he wants to talk about, are becoming boring and irritating.
We are no longer interested in his skills to dodge and evade, we want answers and action; indeed, explanations for the inactivity and non-action that has got us into this absolute shambles.
Too often Blair gets away with it because he stage manages the circumstances in which he is hopefully being brought to book. Todays events show simply that Clarke is a shambles and is on life support to save the PM. Your job, as well as the opposition, is to point out that the emperor (or is that the president?) has no clothes. Blair and his cronies have made a huge mess of public safety and they cannot be forgiven just because they might manage PMQs better than they govern. Stick to the point please.
Nick,
Mr. Blair’s main tactic during PMQT seems to be to avoid answering specific points from the opposition and instead give his own pre-prepared spin on the subject under question. This answer will be an admirably detailed but obviously rehearsed account of the issue, From there on, when pressed, he ducks the precise points by just regurgitating his first answer again and again.
Of course he takes every opportunity to waste time scoring points from a past government that last saw power nearly a decade ago when conditions were materially different.
To take up further valuable time his backbenchers ask him pointless questions about the wonderful achievements of his government and so the whole PMQT becomes a total waste of time.
All this does is to impress upon a politically disillusioned public the bankruptcy of our so called ‘democratic’ system. Furthermore our elected MPs do themselves no favours by their jeering, cheering, barracking and heckling of each other. They resemble an out of control school class rather than the people given our trust to control the affairs of state. When will this reprehensible behaviour be consigned to the past and they concentrate on their responsibility to the real people of this country outside the Palace of Westminster by impressing us with their wisdom, diligence and professionalism?
Blair is so arrogant, it will be his downfall.
Same as other prime ministers, trying to hang on to the job for as long as possible, until they're eventually hounded out by fellow MPs rather than being voted out by the electorate.
He should quit while he's at the top and respected.
He has a policy of not firing people when they're shown to be incompetent. The reason he won't fire them is because he desparately needs them as allies. Yet, the harm he does to his own credibility is great. It's a calculated gamble on his part, and I hope he's got it wrong.
If, as TB says so often, Gordon Brown is such a brilliant Chancellor of the Exchequer, what on earth is the point of thinking of him as the next PM? Surely that's a job for Dr Reid, with Gordon carrying on the mismanagement of the nation's economy.
Animal farm has come home to roost.
Whatever...