'My predominant feeling was fear' - Page 1

Tony Blair was afraid. Labour had won a landslide victory, a majority of 179 seats, and yet at this moment of opportunity, TB's 'predominant feeling was fear.' After being handed such an enormous mandate surely we had a right to 'believe all things were possible'. Blair clearly did not. Not only did  expectations have to be controlled but so did the celebrations. Even the crowd outside Downing Street to cheer the new prime minister had been 'carefully assembled, carefully managed.' The spontaneous throng of supporters were the campaign team, hurried over from Millbank. Already, nothing could be taken at face value.   


It is understandable that a new government should be so concerned with setting the right tone but this was a timid response to the national euphoria and set the tone for the government, much as TB does in his memoirs:  'I had never, held office' - ok, some honesty, it was a big leap, ''not even as the most junior of junior ministers.' Ok, Tony, we believed you, you had never held office. 'It was my first and only job in government' - we know it was your first job! he's not padding the very first paragraph, is he? Is there a lack of substance? Even the first line is amiguous, 'On 2 May 1997, I walked into Downing Street as prime minister for the first time.' When did Blair become prime minister for a second time? Did anyone read this through?

A failure to get the message across, little substance and a lack of self-belief. Ring any bells?

Check out the crowd outside Downing Street
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/2/newsid_2480000/2480505.stm

On a happier note, I would just like to say how pleased I am that the Tories are experiencing such discomfort over the child benefit announcement and some embarrassment because of the rapid tax allowance u-turn which, I understand will cost more money than the original cuts. Has the well-oiled machine become a little gin-soaked at the conference? The announcement by Osborne on breakfast TV, without, it would appear, consulting senior members of the cabinet (particularly obvious, if you tuned into a classic Paxman interview with Theresa May last night) seemed very New Labour. However, a more striking legacy of New Labour on display would appear to be the Tories decision to disregard the interests of their core support. Will the yummy mummies in the shires be as loyal as traditional Labour voters were?