Does Blair Need a Holiday?

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UPDATE: 4th August, 2008

TONY BLAIR’S HOLIDAY

They’re all checking this page again. So, in case you don’t already know, Mr Blair and family ARE on holiday. Four or five weeks, interspersed with various speaking tasks and trips to the Olympics. So he can’t rush back to take over the helm, I’m afraid.

If I knew the exact details of his trip, I wouldn’t tell. Sorry.

But after the event I don’t mind saying.  And a recent speech in Malaysia got their silly ex-PM up in arms. GOOD stuff, Mr Blair. The former Malaysian PM is REALLY feeling ignored. The press came along to his little gathering to denounce Blair as an unwelcome “w** cr*****l” and then they completely ignored the old chap.

That’s what I like to see. A bit of common sense breaking out amongst journos. There’s hope yet.

And today, Mr Blair was cheered and “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed” by throngs in Beijing when he met Jackie Chan and talked about WINNING. Now I wonder what he knows about that? See here.

This blog reports on his recent speech in Kuala Lumpur on “Upholding The Rule of Law”.

Excerpt:

“I was given an invite to attend the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah Lecture Series which featured Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of Great Britain. He spoke about ‘Upholding The Rule of Law – A reflection’ and I must say, he is an impressive and animated speaker.

One of the best quotable quotes during the lecture was this,

‘A corrupt judiciary is the mark of a country which is not yet mature. A judiciary which is becoming corrupt is the mark of a country in decline’ – Tony Blair

Very impressive I must say Mr Blair. That quote is going to be remembered and used for a long time.”

More on same speech here

15th December, 2007

MORE SANDY PLACES?

Since, it seems, quite a few people are checking this page out (which was written MONTHS ago,when he just stopped being PM) I thought I’d update it.

NEWS is – I don’t know.

Considering his almost weekly trips to the Middle East and other places in recent months, he might just fancy putting his feet up in front of a good movie at Christmas.  But if some of his family want to shoot across to the States or elsewhere, as they usually do after Christmas, he’ll probably be off before too long. This time, Mr Blair, don’t even THINK about what the ferals say about which showbiz or political friends you visit, if any. None of their bl***y business. They’ll find something to moan about, whatever you do.

If I find out, dear reader – I’m not telling!

27th July, 2007

AND NOW, SEASIDE WITH THE FAMILY

The Mid-East Peace Envoy is off to the Caribbean for a holiday, it seems, after impressing the leaders in the Middle East by his approachability, charm, listening skills etc etc …

Good. I’m sure he and his family could do with a break.

And apart from that it’ll give him some time to chew over what he has learned from his couple of days being wined, dined and feted. And to ponder the high hopes that seem to be invested in him.

This article suggests that Mr Blair is not there just to get the Palestinian plumbing right.

” … with all due respect to both this warning and diplomatic manners, there is no doubt that Blair did not leave 10 Downing Street and his place in the front row of world leaders only to take care of repairing Ramallah’s sewage system or appointing a Palestinian state comptroller. The man who has repeatedly declared that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the source of the problems between Islam and the West, and that this dispute can only be solved if a suitable mediator is found, will try his luck at concocting an agreement. People who met with him before he set off on his mission had the impression that he would take his time, get to know those involved, study the subject in depth, and win the support of both sides before jumping in to swim where many have drowned before him.”

UAE MEETING

[Picture right]
General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces received in Abu Dhabi yesterday evening, 26th July, Tony Blair, Envoy of the Middle East Peace Quartet, who is currently visiting the UAE as part of a tour of the region.

Sheikh Mohammed welcomed Blair and wished him success in his mission. He expressed his hope that Blair’s efforts would contribute to boosting regional and international drive for attaining peace in the Middle East.

Sheikh Mohammed and his guest reviewed efforts being made to achieve peace in the region. He praised the Quartet’s role to revive the stalled peace process and its continuous efforts to realise aspirations of the Palestinian people in establishing their independent state on their national land in line with the international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Rashid Hareb Al Falahi, Director of the Foreign Minister’s Office, Yusouf Mana Al Otaiba, Director of International Affairs at Sheikh Mohammed’s Court and Edward Oakden, British Ambassador in the UAE. Later, Sheikh Mohammed hosted a dinner in honour of Blair.

26th February, 2007

As seems to be his fate these days Tony Blair can’t even take a much needed holiday without being criticised. Some of the high profile friends whose hospitality he and his family have shared in recent times explain why.

Cliff Richard’s words are those most of us would use if we had a friend in need. Perhaps it was just as well Mr Blair had this holiday. It boosted the strength and resilience he was to need for the hardest year of his political life. On his immediate return he was faced with a “coup” by some of his MPs. Not immediately successful – he didn’t fall on his sword – but it’s been a slow, painful and lingering ‘death’. He might well be ready for another trip to Sir Cliff’s soon.

Cliff Richard: Why I lent Blair my villa

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Click to read full story

Veteran pop star Cliff Richard has said he first lent Tony Blair his Barbados mansion because he was worried at how tired the British prime minister was looking after the Iraq war.

As Blair and his wife, Cherie, finish their third summer break at the 65-year-old singer’s Caribbean retreat, Richard expressed sympathy for the PM’s “terrible job.”

“I saw Tony on television during the war and he seemed dwindled and haggard and I thought, well, whatever gave him the motivation to take that decision (to go to war), he must have felt he had to do it,” he told The Guardian newspaper in an interview published on Thursday.

“The idea was to do a good deed for someone doing a terrible job.”

Richard, who has sold 250 million records in his career, described how he came to know the Blairs after the PM’s wife went to one of his concerts.

“We got a request for some tickets and then we had a meal and a couple of times later Tony was able to join us,” he said.

“Our relationship hasn’t bloomed into a close friendship yet. I wouldn’t think of calling Tony up.”

But he revealed that both enjoyed the occasional game of tennis when they met.

“We don’t play games, we just hit balls. He’s very good. He has the most ferocious forehand and a good serve,” Richard said.

One subject remained off-limits though. “I’ve always been very careful not to talk to Tony about politics, because that would spoil things,” he said.

“He must have great difficulty, in the same way that people like myself do, in finding friends who want you for yourself.

“So I wanted Cherie and Tony to think ‘They’re friends of ours, they never ask us for anything.'”