Tony Blair

[mushroom25]

he's back, allegedly
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tony-blair-returning-to-politics-comeback-jeremy-corbyn-nutter-theresa-may-lightweight-a7427676.html

is there really a need for Mr Blair's services in british politics? does the british electorate want him even if there is?

[Jackdaw33]

I never fully understood the meaning of 'arrogance' till I read Itchycoo @ 13.54.

[ToraToraTora]

that's the remainiacs all over JD, they know best the rest of us are thick.

[andy-hughes]

TTT - thanks for your kind words.

I did vote to leave, and I do believe it will be the right decision for the UK.

My approach since the beginning has been a basic but I believe sound view - if you have goods to sell, and your price is right, the customers will come.

It may take time to extricate ourselves from piles of bueaurocracy which has not been to our benefit, but that time will come.

The political federalism that is consuming Europe is not to our advantage, Mr Cameron was foolish enough to believe that he, and the UK, are powerful enough to have a say in what goes on - and he was soundly disavowed of that egotistical notion the last time he went over there.

I am not a conservative by inclination, but I see Mrs May shaping up to be a realistic and pragmatic PM who is willing to deal with the world now, and does not pretend we still rule an empire.

[scowie]

The current state of the NHS is largely thanks to Blair pushing PFIs. It saved money in his parliaments but condemned those that followed. He out-nastied the "nasty party". Of course the tories were never gonna reverse the damage. Corbyn is the only one willing to do what's required -- hardly a nutter. He is captain sensible in a house full of nutters [who get over-familiar with pigs and go to "cremation of care" ceremonies].

[andy-hughes]

Scowie - Short-term thinking, and even shorter-term spending are the curse of our political system.

If you are going to be in power for four years, that is as far as your political thinking is going to go - no point spending all your budgets on things like hospitals ands schools if you are not going to be around to mop up all the credit, and that goes to your opposite numbers.

Exceptions to the rules are vanity projects. In the Middle Ages, a politician who wanted to be remembered built a cathedral which would be completed after his death, but still bear his name. The modern equivalent of this is an airport runway or HS2.

So if you think Mr Corbyn would be any further sighted than his Conservative enemies, I think you are mistaken in that view.

[andy-hughes]

divebuddy - they are now, but you can be sure that eight hundred years ago, when construction was under way, the benefactor would have made very very sure that everyone knew his name, and his generosity.

[ToraToraTora]

Have you never been to St Tora's cathedral DB?

[andy-hughes]

divebuddy - not wishing to sidetracked into the minutia of my parallel - but if you endowed a cathedral in 1216, there is a very good change that your name was still around in 1316, maybe even 1416, but there is absolutely no chance that it would still be around in 2016.

Nothing is forever - we don't even credit the 02 to Michael Heseltine!

[lindapalmara]

Remember this? Blairs last attempt to reform Europe whilst giving up our rebate.

[naomi24]

Just as a matter of interest, cathedrals generally have official names but I can’t think of one that bears or ever has borne the name of a politician.

York Minster: The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York

Westminster Abbey: Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster

Lincoln Cathedral: the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln

Coventry: St Michael's Cathedral

Worcester: The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester

Canterbury: Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury.

[ichkeria]

I did not want the referendum in the first place Tora, regardless of the result. And at least I'm honest enough to say so

[ichkeria]

I think Jackie old boy that my 'arrogance' is slight compared to some
There were many people who felt unqualified to vote on this by their own admission. Not because I say so.

[andy-hughes]

divebuddy - //Andy. But politicians were a bit thin on the ground in 1216. At least in the sense that we recognise them today. Divine right of Kings and all that.

Why not just admit that your "parallel" does not have wings, it cannot fly, it is in fact non existent. //

You seem determined to chase down what is really just an aside to the main point I was making, but hopefully this point will mean we can move on -

In the times when cathedrals were being built, the politicians were the nobility - the landowners, barrons, and generally rich men who had the cash to endow projects in their names.

That is not to infer that an edifice which they financed would be directly named after them - merely that their name and family name would be associated with its construction.

Hopefully that draws a line under that minor part of the debate about Tony Blair.

[hereIam]

Tony Blair - agghhhhh !!!

[ToraToraTora]

ichkeria, fine you did not want it but you have yet to explain why it was unnecessary or inappropriate. You seem to be arrogantly saying that because you personally did not want it we must all be denied.

[andy-hughes]

divebuddy - if it makes you feel better to pull apart my comparison, to the detriment of the flow of the argument, then go right ahead.

You are right, I am wrong.

Can we move on now?