A nod to the critics
Today, amid all the diplomacy, the international telephone calls, and the endless meetings with officials, Tony Blair took a meeting with a man called Lewis Pugh.
Who he, you may ask? Well, he's the chap who is currently swimming the length of the Thames to draw attention to climate change (as of today, he's as far as County Hall, just over from Westminster, and is beginning to taste salt). Now the prime minister may indeed be keen to talk to about carbon emissions and the like but perhaps too he just wanted to spend time with someone who knows what it's like to swim against the tide. For that is exactly what Mr Blair is doing with his policy towards the Middle East.
His critics appear to grow daily, including some members of the Cabinet, the Foreign Office, the Labour party, European and Arab nations, and a bevvy of former foreign secretaries and ambassadors who have described his relationship with the US as naive, foolish, creepy and out of control.
One, Sir Roderick Braithwaite, once our man in Moscow, today likened Mr Blair to a Madame Tussaud's waxwork zombie spouting White House spin who had done more damage to British interests in the Middle East than the Suez crisis 50 years ago. Ouch.
But with MPs away from Westminster, it was once again the turn of the fourth estate at the PM's monthly news conference (watch it here) to reflect some of these concerns. Why won't he be more critical of Israel's military operations? Why hasn't he pushed more strongly for a ceasefire? Why has he stayed so close to the US at the cost of alienating many Arab nations? Why is he at odds with so many people?
The prime minister's answer was intriguing. As you might expect, he defended his policy resolutely. Condemnation of Israel and calls for unconditional ceasefires would not provide a solution to the conflict in the Middle East; a permanent cessation of hostilities agreed by all sides followed by an international stabilisation force would.
But for the first time, at least, he acknowledged that his critics existed. Talk of splits with the Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, were dismissed as "complete rubbish" but as for the rest of his colleagues, Mr Blair acknowledged: "I have no doubt there are Cabinet ministers who have doubts about this or that aspect - possibly about the whole aspect of the policy."
He was, he said, not surprised there were anxieties, this was a difficult issue, he understood his critics' views and did not disrespect them. And he wasn't indifferent to the suffering of civilians both in Lebanon and Israel.
So, will this be enough to reassure the critics? No. But frankly the PM probably feels he can weather the storm for now. He doesn't have to face an angry Parliament - everyone's away on their hols - and the concerns expressed by MPs are therefore diffuse and unfocused. Outrage expressed from the comfort of a sun lounger has less moral weight than a well-timed speech in the House of Commons.
But the anger and despair voiced by some Labour MPs is genuine. The question for Mr Blair is whether it lingers long enough to have an impact when MPs return after the summer. At his news conference, the PM promised a packed domestic agenda in the autumn. After the last few weeks, there will be more Labour MPs who hope it'll include his resignation.
As for now, Mr Blair signalled that he would still be going on his own hols to Barbados. But is he leaving John Prescott in charge of Britain's Middle East policy? Er, no. "The most important thing to realise is that wherever I am, I have got full communications," he said. "I will be on the phone."
I'm 
Comments
Lewis Pugh must have seen the bizarre film The Swimmer starring Burt Lancaster and taken it all a bit too literally. It was supposed to be metaphorical!
I hope Mr. Pugh took the opportunity to quiz Mr. Blair on his policies ! Maybe he will be able to reveal why Blair is so adamant that he is right, and everyone else is wrong (in this instance about Israel and Lebanon) ?
War is so difficult to make these days, but the price is there is no peace either.
nice weaving together of disparate news stories! can we trade robinson in for you on a permanent basis?
Blair has had these sorts of splits and vast criticism before from within the party but he always seems to weather them well and survive until the next disaster- however I am not really sure how reassuring it is that TB is on the end of a phone!!!
As for the environmentalist swimmer- I saw him on Richard and Judy (of all programmes) this evening and to be honest he seems pretty barmy as well (i suppose you would have to be) but I think I would rather have him in charge than Prescott in London and Blair in barbados!!
Is it just me or does TB sound more and more like Maggie Thatcher.
Can we bring back the real Nick please. This is just too, er,...fluffy.
Did Tony get out his ukelele and sing "Summer Holiday" for you all?
Meanwhile welcome aboard James.
I'm in the USA on hol's at the moment and it really puts into perspective how much Blair has gained from his poodle like relationship with Bush.
Answer = Nothing
As far as the USA is concerned, Blair is completely irelevant to the extent of never even being mentioned in the media at all.
All the pictures we see on the UK TV news are just Blair spin on him getting on and off planes, with the occassional press bash with Bush
Over the weekend when I gather from UK sources Balir was "very busy" working the phones (no coverage here at all), Bush was so concerned about the mid east crisis that he was commenting as he opened up a Little League (kid's softball league)
When will the UK media stop pushing the government line that Blair and hence the UK has any impact on US and directly Israeli policy?
Andy wrote: Did Tony get out his ukele and sing "Summer Holiday" for you all?
Fat chance, Andy, its protected by Cliff's Royalty rights for the next couple of years until the 50 year statutory period runs out.
It will be protected for a good deal longer too once Blair fulfills his stated intention of making it a priority to extend musicians' Royalty rights to give them about another 20 years of Royalties.
Though I suppose Cliff & Tony could sing a few duets of "Summer Holiday" together?
I agree with Kate, good to have a new voice on the blog, James!
Welcome, James. How did you draw the straw of working through August, or did you have the foresight to realise it might be a challenging time, this year? Nice how there's no "silly season" isn't it!
So, is it new that the PM states upfront that he's still going to be in charge whilst in Barbados? Does it give you carte-blanche to keep enquiring of Downing Street about his efforts, or lack of them?
How precisely is that going to work, by 'phone, do we know? Will there be a staff out there with him or will Cherie and the kids be the only ones with direct access? Is it Cliff's villa again; will Cliff, with his Christian, right-wing connections I've never been clear; is he a neocon?), be there, or any other house-guests? Will the PM be doorstepped, carefully leaving his family out of it, or is the place too isolated?
I mean, the people in the Middle-east aren't getting a break in the bosom of their family at the height of the summer. So should the man who has so facilitated their suffering be given one?
It's been a long time coming that summer ceased to be a silly season. For years many sides have been taking advantage to sneak stuff past the media, and Parliament, and the people. As you say the ministries do it in a perfectly planned way. Should we assume Israel chose this time deliberately, or has this all just exploded in the summer heat?
Anyway, now the PM has broken the old solid front that ministers were away so no one was responsible. And the challenge for those, like you, responsible to pursuing the story, is how to cut through the remnants of that, to keep in touch as various players travel or fight the exhaustion of both summer heat and a story that's running far longer than the planners intended.
Perhaps you will be looking at how that works, and maybe how those against the suffering, trying to end it, face that challenge too? I mean, why was democracy, humanitarian work, international law and order ever expected to sleep for the Northern Hemisphere's summer? It doesn't for the Southern's. Were all those people who actually take their holidays at other times of the year just taking advantage?
At least, with 24 hour news you don't have that old problem of there being much reduced outlet for stories at this time of year. Handy that you are News 24's political man anyway.
Remain assured that you have a public hanging on everything meaningful you can report.
Blair isn't following Bush. It's a puppet show where the same Israeli hands are controlling both puppets.
The boss is always the person who can do whatever he likes with impunity.
Tony Blair has never cared about everyone criticizing him before. So why would he now?
On the other hand, he does like to meet and greet celebrities.
I suppose we might wonder just how much more radical US policy in Iraq, Iran and Israel might have been, had not the UK been there to gently temper it. For instance, the UK might have adopted the 鈥淣on, non鈥 approach of the French and then, like them, been totally ignored. Has UK influence been instrumental in getting the US even to consider a UN resolution drafted by France? Just maybe Tony Blair has been able to exert some influence in the Whitehouse, which possibly needs to be judged against not how things are, but how they might have been.
But at what cost? A further fall from grace across the Islamic world, including the UK Muslim community? And in any case, should this sort of diplomatic gamesmanship not be conducted within the backrooms of the UN, not at the front of the world stage?
For a Prime Minister to make such major public pronouncements on future foreign policy, while under such heavy criticism from within his own parliamentary party, not to say the Government itself, and within hours of going against the advice of his own Foreign Office would have been described by Sir Humphrey Appleby as 鈥渧ery brave!鈥
Would Ed Clarke like to suggest a better reason for pursuing a policy than the strong belief, defended by argument, that it is the right one?
Does anyone else think it's ironic that amid all the criticism for the PM trying to arrange world peace from a beach rather than an office, Nick Robinson can't even be bothered to blog every couple of days?
BoB, this is not fair!
Nick deserved a good break - not only from politics, but from us all.
As for TB, isn't it an act of great honesty to acknowledge that the world (and the planet) will survive without him and, unfortunately, the Middle East crisis will continue regardless of TB's location and involvement?
You cannot imagine how damned hot it is in Barbados in August. Are you sure Tony isn't somewhere else, like Aspen?
"he just wanted to spend time with someone who knows what it's like to swim against the tide".
you forgot the cymbal noise.
Come on Bob you can hardly compare Nick Robinson with the PM, give the guy a break.
James if you are going to be minding the shop while Nick is away there are a couple of things you must be aware of. You must repeatedly and incessantly ponder the relationship between Blair and Brown and not a single day can go by without you wondering when Blair will step down. You must search every utterance by Blair for clues on these matters as secretly that is all that he ever thinks about. Furthermore you must get accross your own personal opinions on all matters especially that you oppose the Iraq war. It doesnt matter that you are not elected by the British public to represent our views, the fact you work for the 大象传媒 means that you have to inflict your own personal opinions on us at every opportunity. Politics is not about global events that shape our lives, it is a bit like East Enders and if you do not waste acres and acres of print on soap opera style reporting of politics then you stand no chance at all of the 大象传媒 promoting you. By the way Blair being in Barbados gives you a great opportunity to point out that people are dying while he is on a sun lounger. Just dont mention that Nick is on holiday too.
Cheers.
PM has unpacked the sun cream to solve the Lebanon crisis. Move over Clark Kent.
Sir Rodric Braithwaite said: "Mr Blair's total identification with the White House has destroyed his influence in Washington, Europe and the Middle East itself: who bothers with the monkey if he can go straight to the organ-grinder."
Pretty trenchant stuff from the heart of the Establishment.
I am really worried that Mr Blair has a bad case of delusions brought on by too much grandeur.
Mr Blair acknowledged: "I have no doubt there are Cabinet ministers who have doubts about this or that aspect - possibly about the whole aspect of the policy."
There we have it - straight from the horse's mouth. If only we had a democratic government we might not be in the mess that we are today, both at home and abroad.
On the subject of American awareness. Two years ago I met an American Phd student studying in Paris. His family home is two miles from the White House and he was completely unaware of the UK's involvement in the decision on and implementation of the Iraq war.
Tony Blair like Mrs Thatcher?!!
Love her or hate her, she puts Great Britain above everything else. She would not have sold us out.
Unhappy Brit - Those Americans that are aware are fed a diet from the likes of Fox News and Washington sources.
In which case, ignorance is preferable to brainwashing.
Could it be that TBS future rests with the results of the american house and senate races being voted on this november? I suspect that George Bush, with his negative approval ratings will take TB down with the republican party should they do badly in the upcoming elections...........watch this space!!!