Comment at end
21st September, 2009
BLAIR’S 10 YEARS and BOULTON’S 10 CENTS
Adam Boulton and the usual “sources close to…” have been busy recently.
It is said that Mandelson is “despairing” over Gordon, and that Blair has paraphrased Mandelson by describing Brown as “a quitter not a fighter”. So nothing unexpected there, then.
Click here for a look inside Boulton’s book
With notably sharp timing, Sky TV journalist Adam Boulton has just published ‘Tony’s Ten Years’.
So my question to Mr Boulton?
Who took this picture of Tony Blair, and when?
EXHAUSTED? DESPAIRING? DEPRESSED?
Probably. Possibly many times.
So why does this picture matter?
Pictures paint a thousand words as we all know. Somehow I don’t think this is a Blair posed effort. And yes I DO realise we are talking about the greatest “actor” on a world stage crammed with canny political actors. But Boulton’s cover picture of an exhausted, despairing or at the very best deep in thought Tony Blair seems to convey its own message. Even his hands seem to have given up the fight.
When was it taken? Presumably within the last two years of Blair’s time as PM, 2005-2007. WHY does he look so down-hearted? This is not the familiar, smiling, never-say-die PM we had all grown to love or even hate.
Michael Cockerell used the same picture in his BBC2 documentary on Blair to illustrate the time leading up to a crucial vote in the Commons. On that occasion Blair did NOT KNOW if Brown and his cohorts were backing him, right up until the votes were counted. In the end the government scraped through with only 5 votes. Three votes less and Blair could have been forced to resign.
Blair was despairing MAINLY, imho, because the back-stabbing of the “courageous” Brown for all of his time as PM, was relentless and weakening. Better if either of them had had the courage and/or backing to finally dispatch the other far sooner.
So Boulton’s message may be in his picture as much as in his book’s contents.
By most accounts, and I have only read excerpts available online, this book is a useful read.
Just as the Labour Party is about to meet and ponder over Gordon’s TWO years the book will no doubt sell at the Labour party conference next week.
It’s time the activists understood a few things. I don’t recall them dwelling much on Tony’s Ten Years in their 2007 conference. That was a baleful omission. Airbrushing Blair from Labour’ s history was an injustice too far for me. An attempt to give Brown a clean sheet? An attempt to gloss over Blair’s “mistakes” as though it had nothing to do with the rest of them?
Their lack of grateful thanks, political nous, even graciousness towards their missing, deposed leader at that 2007 conference was despicable. As Gordon revelled in the faithful’s undeserved and soon to be disappointed worship, the very fact that he was able to revel AND airbrush Blair was unforgivable.
Gordon Brown and airbrushing and even replacing Blair were WRONG decisions. It was never going to work for Labour, and never will work.
Apart from that it was all WRONG. Now the Labour party may have many years to mull over just how wrong.
Indulge this Blair supporter for a second:
How did Mr Blair wind up his last leader’s speech to conference, descibed by many as “simply the best”, in September 2006?
“So, it’s up to you.
You take my advice.
You don’t take it.
Your choice.
Whatever you do, I’m always with you.
Head and heart.
You’ve given me all I have ever achieved, and all that we’ve achieved, together, for the country.
Next year I won’t be making this speech.
But, in the years to come, wherever I am, whatever I do.
I’m with you.
Wishing you well.
Wanting you to win.
You’re the future now.
Make the most of it.
So now we have the future.
It’s hardly surprising that Blair “resigned in episodes”. He was hoping that someone would find the strategy and tactics to step up to the mark and change the ending. Instead, we have ‘courageous’ Brown “leading” the country, as Blair speaks to many worldwide about ‘leadership’.
But will Brown REALLY leave before the election for health reasons to avoid humiliation? Well, not NOW he won’t.
No way out, no way out …
All Quitters in Blairless Labour, Tony.
FEW, if any fighters.
Daily Mail report: Mandelson has “given up hope” on Brown
Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson have given up hope of Gordon Brown winning the General Election and believe he may throw in the towel to avoid humiliation by David Cameron, it was revealed last night.
The damning verdict on the Prime Minister by his two most prominent Labour colleagues came as a new book disclosed that Mr Blair has branded Mr Brown a ‘quitter not a fighter’.
The Mail on Sunday has been told that Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is ‘in despair’ at Mr Brown’s failure to get a grip of events which have led to a growing conviction in Mr Blair’s inner circle that a Conservative victory is almost inevitable.
A well-placed source said: ‘Peter genuinely thought he could turn things round for Gordon but it is proving to be much harder than he imagined. Tony was deeply sceptical about Gordon taking over all along and thinks he is a disaster.’
The book by Sky News political editor Adam Boulton, who is married to Mr Blair’s former Downing Street ‘gatekeeper’ Anji Hunter, says Mr Blair has a near contemptuous view of his successor’s ability to bounce back.
It says Mr Blair believes Mr Brown may find an excuse to ‘duck out’ of the Election – which must take place by next June – possibly on health grounds.
It also suggests that Lord Mandelson is merely ‘propping up’ Mr Brown to make sure the EU’s Lisbon Treaty is approved next month and that, as a result, his friend and ally Mr Blair becomes the EU’s first all-powerful President.
Mr Boulton, one of the most influential political commentators in Britain, says that although Mr Blair is still in regular contact with Mr Brown, he has always regarded him as weak.
Witheringly, Mr Boulton’s book, Tony’s Ten Years, reveals: ‘In private, Mr Blair commented to several friends that history showed Mr Brown to be a quitter, not a fighter (to reverse Peter Mandelson’s 2001 election-night description of himself).’
When Lord Mandelson held his Hartlepool seat after he was forced to quit the Cabinet, he declared: ‘I’m a fighter not a quitter.’
Mr Boulton lists all the occasions that Brown had backed down, leading Mr Blair to believe he lacks the stomach for a fight.
He states: ‘In 1983, Mr Brown had arrived in Parliament at the same time as Mr Blair because he had rejected repeated invitations to challenge an incumbent in a Scottish constituency. In 1994, he ducked out of contesting the leadership with Mr Blair.
‘In 2007, he and his lieutenants launched a reign of terror to make sure there was no leadership contest.
‘So, even before the ministerial resignations of last June, Mr Blair and his circle wondered: could Mr Brown duck out again –on sickness grounds, say, or to take up a big public job elsewhere – to avoid a potentially ugly reckoning with the voters?’
And since June, when, aided by Lord Mandelson, Mr Brown survived an abortive attempt by Labour enemies to force him out, both Mr Blair and Lord Mandelson are increasingly doubtful of the likelihood of him surviving to polling day as Labour leader.
There have also been rumours that Mr Brown could leave No10 for a job in academia or at a leading economic institution.
In stark contrast to Mr Brown’s demise, Mr Boulton says Mr Blair is as ambitious as ever and determined to become the first President of the EU, a post which will be created by Christmas if the final obstacle to the Lisbon Treaty – next month’s Irish referendum – results in a yes vote.
Mr Boulton says: ‘By propping up Mr Brown, Lord Mandelson has delayed the Election – and quite possibly facilitated the ratification of the treaty. This will doubtless endear him to EU leaders, who in turn might look all the more favourably on choosing Mr Blair as their president.’
RELATED
1. According to The Telegraph -
This, from the comic actor Rowan Atkinson on meeting Peter Mandelson at the Goodwood Revival festival in Sussex over the weekend:
“Ah, Prime Minister.”
It is reported that “a blushing Mandelson” responded:
“Not yet.”
2. Is Brown a Dead Parrot as Mandy pulls its nails?
3. Brown to meet Gadaffi in NY
4. Lauren Booth’s 8 year-old daughter to cycle across “Palestine”. And they want Tony to comment on this abuse of his niece? What about her stupid mother? Assuming the poor child survives, she will understand her mother’s politics, but NOT her uncle’s.
Nothing like brainwashing them young.
5. New poll: Brown “not trusted” on economy, Cameron “liked”.
Tags: a quitter not a fighter, Adam Boulton book, despairing of Gordon Brown, Gordon Brown, lauren booth, Peter Mandelson, Tony Blai'rs niece to cycle across Palestine, Tony Blair, what does Blair think of Brown
September 25, 2009 at 4:34 pm |
God help this country with brown clegg or cameron to lead it none of them have leader material but at least in blair we have still an international statesman