O/T If it walks and talks like a Blair, is it a Blair?

First off, I’ll make it clear I’m a Labour member and a big supporter of Keir Starmer. His politics are aligned to mine, much more than with the previous leader.


He made a speech today. If you didn’t know the name of the Labour leader, you may think it was a speech made by Tony Blair (I’m also a big fan of Blair).


So, do you think Keir Starmer is another version of Tony Blair? That’s what political journalists are asking today.

Thing is I know politicians are all the same,but he's got the gall to stand there and moan about the economy etc , when he stood up through COVID and shouted the loudest to dish the money out , what did he think was going to happen when COVID was over ,and how can anyone believe he is any different to the man who supported all of what corbyn stood for ,it's the hypocrisy that does my head in on all sides

I’d say yes. Blair was an utter disaster.

I’d say yes. Blair was an utter disaster.

How can you say Tony was a disaster?

In his ten years as PM he changed the landscape of the UK by improving things like Health, Education, fair wages etc.

That’s without even mentioning Northern Ireland.

I look at the Tory’s record over the last 14 years and five prime ministers later, the only things they’ve really achieved are same sex marriage and Brexit.

And we now that Brexit has been a raging success! Lol

Blair made one big mistake and that was the Iraq war.

Blair was all meaningless soundbites, “tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime” “education education education “etc etc
He was the one who opened the floodgates to fill this country with low skill East Europeans. Starmer will be a Poundshop Blair
Anyway it’s Blackrock and Vanguard who call the shots now, not politicians, so whoever’s elected little will change.

And we now that Brexit has been a raging success! Lol

Brexit has been massively hit by covid, is the eu doing any better since brexit ? ,No it isn't arguably its doing worse , also our world wide trade has massively grown since brexit .brexit is a long term project we've got 30 odd years of red tape to untangle.

Starmer has the charisma of a dish cloth wet as sh.t typical lawyer talks like one also.
sunakas got no friends
and all you get from te liberal leader is ever time he is asked something he has to start every sentence with
We as "liberal democrats" because nobobody has a clue who the f.ck he is
And long may that remain a nobody.
If the welsh goverment is the blueprint God help us all.

I’d say yes. Blair was an utter disaster.

How can you say Tony was a disaster?

In his ten years as PM he changed the landscape of the UK by improving things like Health, Education, fair wages etc.

That’s without even mentioning Northern Ireland.

I look at the Tory’s record over the last 14 years and five prime ministers later, the only things they’ve really achieved are same sex marriage and Brexit.

Blair was far from great How can you say that health and education improved during his time It simply did not During his government they removed favourable tax conditions for final salary schemes Which meant many employers could not afford to keep them on without bigger contributions from members His government point a death nail into FInal schemes for the working class Under his government womens pension ages increased to 65 ( i was in favour of that ) Many are not but in general affected the working class more than any Under his government Pension ages were raised to 66 and then 67 The tories brought the 67 age forward but did not introduce it
Before anything is said I have not voted tory in nearly 40 years and have voted labour within that period Blair has a lot to answer

I’d say yes. Blair was an utter disaster.

How can you say Tony was a disaster?

In his ten years as PM he changed the landscape of the UK by improving things like Health, Education, fair wages etc.

That’s without even mentioning Northern Ireland.

I look at the Tory’s record over the last 14 years and five prime ministers later, the only things they’ve really achieved are same sex marriage and Brexit.

Blair was far from great How can you say that health and education improved during his time It simply did not During his government they removed favourable tax conditions for final salary schemes Which meant many employers could not afford to keep them on without bigger contributions from members His government point a death nail into FInal schemes for the working class Under his government womens pension ages increased to 65 ( i was in favour of that ) Many are not but in general affected the working class more than any Under his government Pension ages were raised to 66 and then 67 The tories brought the 67 age forward but did not introduce it
Before anything is said I have not voted tory in nearly 40 years and have voted labour within that period Blair has a lot to answer

worcester.. I could have improved healthcare if I’d bankrupt the Country, which was effectively what he did. Illegal foreign wars, and mass immigration also on his watch. Starmer is trying to be Blair, but has no personality. Looks dopey half the time.

We are living with the consequences of many of Blair’s “reforms” still.
Devolution has caused massive divisions between us while costing the tax payer a fortune.
Huge increases in the public sector with many jobs being questionable as to their use.
Hospitals are still paying for pfi
His government forced through the dental contract in England a Wales which has led to the situation we have now - yes now. Wales is devolved and haven’t changed anything. The conservatives have just sat and watched it implode.
The GP contract they forced through can be linked with many of the issues we have now.
There was massive increase in no win no fee cases due his governments changes.

Lots of other things imho.

FWIW it’s worth I don’t think starmer is remotely as bad as Blair. I think he’s a career politician despite his legal background. I don’t think he’s too far aligned from sunak either. I’m not worried about him. I worry about who they replace him with when he goes.

He’s a bit centre left but I don’t see him as ideologically driven like corbyn and drakeford.

I’m going to go out on a limb too and say while I didn’t agree with his policies, the country would be in a better state now if brown had
Been the pm not Blair. I think brown is a decent guy and well meaning even if I don’t support him. Blair isn’t.

I'm a Labour supporter, but Blair sending us over to Iraq tainted his term as PM in my eyes.

worcester.. I could have improved healthcare if I’d bankrupt the Country, which was effectively what he did. Illegal foreign wars, and mass immigration also on his watch. Starmer is trying to be Blair, but has no personality. Looks dopey half the time.

One of the big successes of Cameron and Osborne was being able to blame the financial crisis on Blair and Brown, it just wasn’t true.

For ten years he led the UK and there were nowhere near the amount of scandals there have been in 14 years and five PMs under the Tories.

People like to use Iraq as a stick to beat Tony with because they have nothing else.

Personally I still don’t think it was the wrong decision to go into Iraq, and I never will.

worcester.. I could have improved healthcare if I’d bankrupt the Country, which was effectively what he did. Illegal foreign wars, and mass immigration also on his watch. Starmer is trying to be Blair, but has no personality. Looks dopey half the time.

One of the big successes of Cameron and Osborne was being able to blame the financial crisis on Blair and Brown, it just wasn’t true.

For ten years he led the UK and there were nowhere near the amount of scandals there have been in 14 years and five PMs under the Tories.

People like to use Iraq as a stick to beat Tony with because they have nothing else.

Personally I still don’t think it was the wrong decision to go into Iraq, and I never will.

Dipped their grubby fingers into the Mineworkers pension though didn't they.
You say, people use Iraq war as a stick, so be it. HE LIED but got protection from justice before HE LIED.
Wanted to be Bush's buddy too much.

You may recall Liam Byrne’s note. Or may choose to forget. And he presided over the biggest scandal of the last 50 years, mass immigration without consent. I can see why he bankrupt Britain building hospitals now.
And look at Iraq today.. what a success story. Yep, he was genius that Tony.

You may recall Liam Byrne’s note. Or may choose to forget. And he presided over the biggest scandal of the last 50 years, mass immigration without consent. I can see why he bankrupt Britain building hospitals now.
And look at Iraq today.. what a success story. Yep, he was genius that Tony.

The decision to go to Iraq was the right one.

It was a global financial crisis, not the fault of Labour.

And we now that Brexit has been a raging success! Lol

Brexit has been massively hit by covid, is the eu doing any better since brexit ? ,No it isn't arguably its doing worse , also our world wide trade has massively grown since brexit .brexit is a long term project we've got 30 odd years of red tape to untangle.

As someone who opposed Brexit, I think this is right.

Unfair to judge Brexit now because of COVID being recent.

Like you say, EU countries not doing much better.

Blair has admitted his failure in understanding how the banking system worked. Keep believing tho worcester, regardless of what Blair himself said.

Blair has admitted his failure in understanding how the banking system worked. Keep believing tho worcester, regardless of what Blair himself said.

Yet to hear how he failed in government though?

Yet to hear why Iraq was wrong.

Yet to hear a reason the Tories have better’d Tony.

The Tories haven’t but that’s irrelevant to this thread. If bankrupting Britain is a success, then there’s something very strange going on.

Pre Tony Blair I could see my GP on a Saturday morning and also have dental treatment on a Saturday no problem. We didn't have the fear of ismalist terrorism on British shores and weren't blighted by mass immigration and who could ever forgive Blair for also giving us the disaster which is Devolution. I couldn't wait for a labour government to come to power in 97 after growing up through the Thatcher year's, one thing for sure I hope we will never see another Labour government again .

You may recall Liam Byrne’s note. Or may choose to forget. And he presided over the biggest scandal of the last 50 years, mass immigration without consent. I can see why he bankrupt Britain building hospitals now.
And look at Iraq today.. what a success story. Yep, he was genius that Tony.

The decision to go to Iraq was the right one.

It was a global financial crisis, not the fault of Labour.

Nothing is Blair's fault?

Labour took us into the Iraqi war which has turned out to be the ultimate disaster. Blair should be done for war crimes.

As for Global Financial crisis I recall labour blaming the Tories for taking us into the last recession. It's called changing the goalposts to suit your own agenda.