I think it is interesting that Blair raises the old football adage, that football is, 'a game played with a round ball, two teams of eleven players, forty-five minutes in each half and the Germans always win.' to describe the Labour party's fear that it would never win another election. (I'm not sure it is an old football adage, just a weak Des Lynam style joke, but then Tony was never really persuaded people he was proper football fan, did he?)
It reminds me how, a couple of years into the Blair government, a London politics lecturer reminisced with me about how he had seen the future when, a young team of Millbank types, including future Secretary of State, James Purnell, had completely wiped the floor with his football team. Supremely confident, very young, well organised, supremely fit and apparently not averse to some less than statesmenlike activities to gain an advantage.
In the early years of New Labour they seemed like the political equivalent of 'the Germans'. I was working in a lowly position as a PA to one of the ruling Labour Group's Committee Chairs (Chair had only recently replaced Chairman, as the first shoots of political correctness pushed through the political wasteland and gave the Daily Mail plenty of material to get outraged by). Whilst Gazza cried (again) and penalties were missed in Euro 96, the ruthlessly efficient 'Germans', including Jame Purnell and Stephen Twigg ran rings around the Labour old guard. They were ruthless in front of their goal, of removing old style Labour supporters and lowering the red flag. Twigg, of course, would go on, in what would was voted as the third greatest ever TV moment ever, unseat Michael Portillo during the 1997 election rout.
Unfortunately, the looney left tag that was attached to Islington was an embarrassment to the modernisers and getting rid of it seemed more important than its proud, but at the time deeply unfashionable record of supporting minority groups and pushing a strong equal opportunities agenda. Such causes are pretty mainstream now but at the time were constantly attacked by the Tories. In many ways Twigg benefitted enormously from the brave policies of councils such as Islington, as he became the first openly gay man to be elected to Parliament.
After 34 years of almost continuous control, Labour lost Islington in 1998.
Rules is rules -
So Mr Blair, can you tell us straight, no quibbling, yes or no, are there rules in politics?
'The first rule in politics...' - Ah! The first rule, so are there more?
'is that there are no rules...' - but doesn't that mean there are rules...I thought you said there are rules? It's as if Escher had decided to stop the doodling and go into prose, you're making my head hurt,
'at least not in the sense of inevitable defeats.' What? Quick, make a u-turn! So there are rules, but only one rule in this particular niche of politics and that rule is that there isn't a rule but then that suggests you think that there are rules, after, all in other areas? Have I understood you?
Even by the standards of politicians I think, at least, three opinions in one sentence (20 words) is an exceptional performance.
...and finally...
I've just found this clip on u-tube regarding the Jackie Milburn story, you decide! Why was a newspaper interview being filmed? Can you explain?
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