British Expatriate Network

But Blair is obviously not rolling over.....


http//www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,19809-1603677,00.html

From the Beeb (kind of surprised you didn't post this link)

Tony Blair has been urged to quit as prime minister early into his third term, days after Labour's election win.

Despite securing an historic third victory, the government's Commons majority was slashed from 161 to 67.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/polit...526435.stm

Just as Michael Howard, whom I think was seen as an old Tory has been seen trying to re-capture the glory day of a by-gone Thatcherite (when I say glory, I mean allowing Argentina to invade so we can kick their arse in time for an election) government.

I think Gordon Brown will be seen as nothing more than a Blairite, someone so intwined with the last 9 years of Labour.

New faces all round me thinks.

Blunkett / Prescott/ Blair / Brown all out.

I do like Jack Straw. whom still time allowing does a local constituency Q&A at the local supermarkets in Blackburn / Darwen on Saturdays.

Could you imagine Rice or Powell doing that?

Today at Big Lots in Dover Delaware, Condi Rice answers your questions.............

I think I'll have to rejoin the Labour party so I can vote in Jack Straw.

I like Jack Straw too - watched him at Davos (well..on C-Span at Davos) this year and he was very impressive.

Wonder what Mandelson is doing these days?

Whats with all this get Blair and his Blairites out in time for the next election as no one will vote for them? They voted for Em this time and the past two, clean house?? Just ask the Bush family if it's a real good idea...

Mandelson is EU Trade Commissioner and a somewhat conflicted character right now if you look at some of his comments on the Boeing/Airbus argument.

I've known Jack Straw, his commitment to his constituency is admirable; as you say he still stands on a box in the local shopping precinct each Saturday and addresses constituents - and they get to address him too. [As with all former Home Secretaries, Straw gets additional personal protection - his security detail must go spare each weekend].

However I really don't see Straw as leadership material; he would be the Labour party's John Major is some ways. He's not at all stupid, indeed he made a much better Barrister than Blair, but he has a distinct lack of charisma. Also he isn't particularly popular in the party (former Home Secretaries rarely are) and so right now I doubt he would be elected leader. Brown has the wind in his sails, but that could change and despite current pressures, I don't see Blair going just yet.

A couple of things I read this weekend pointed out Britain's chairing of the G8. Blair has ambitions to make his mark on history by tackling world poverty - the Africa Commission for example - I don't see him giving up until after the G8 term, which I think would be next year.

so........what does leadership qualities have to do with the price of bread

I voted for Margaret Beckett in the last Labour leadership election. :lol:

I think it is much more telling that despite what was considered to be an unpopular war which gave the opposition parties an unprecedented bat to weild at the Labor government they could still not unseat the party in power. I think this draws two conclusions.

1. Blair and his government are still trusted with running the country despite some major gaffes.

2. The conservatives as they stand are completely unelectable.

They don't know where they stand.

the immigration policy is a complete shambles.

capping immigration, well it may not be rascist as they say.........but it is certainly illegal.

Funny, so did I.

BTW, if you do want to partcipate in any future leadership vote, make sure you rejoin the party now. There will be a cut off date to be elligible and if the leadership election is later this year or early next, the cut off would be around now.