PM Tony Blair (1997-2007)
Tony Blair
Right off the bat, I’m going to say that Tony Blair is my idol 
Especially when I first got interested in politics in Malaysia. Then, I was just beginning to understand the divisions in politics, and was shopping for a side that I could barrack for. Conservatism put me off instantly with its overzealous religion + cold capitalism combo. Hard-left socialism also looked to me to be too much like the failed communism to appeal to me. It was then that I discovered the ‘Third Way’ aka social democracy that was championed by Blair and Clinton. Decided then that that was the camp that I would cheer for.
Social democracy
Tony Blair then was only in his early years as PM of the UK. He, along with Anthony Giddens introduced the Third Way to the world. I’ve read Gidden’s book, and he proposed the Third Way as the modernisation and evolution of the Left.
Tony Blair understood that the era of union-dominated workplace and blind nationalisation of public institutions is gone. Instead, when he assumed the leadership of Labour he seek to change his party’s Clause IV in its Constitution which which strived for wholesale privatisation of those institutions. He also purged and subdued many of his party’s hardcore leftists and promoted his centrist colleagues. Many people nowadays are beginning to forget how difficult it is to actually change a major party from within. One just have to look at Abdullah’s or Anwar’s failure to do so for UMNO to get a sense of the difficulty in overcoming a party’s inertia to change. But did it Blair did, giving his reformed party the moniker ‘New Labour’ to differentiate it from its past reincarnations.
In 1997, the British public decided that New Labour was finally less socalist-radical enough to be trusted to lead the nation with the charismatic Blair heading it. It won by a historic landslide (largest ever for Labour) against the Conservative government, winning 418 seats against the Tories’ paltry 165. The Tories did not have any seats in Scotland or Wales as a result and many government ministers lost their seats. The Tories are still feeling the effects of that slaughter till this day.
As PM, Blair has revitalised the British economy. He has pumped massive amounts of in health and education, as well as introducing market-based mechanisms there to increase their efficiencies. He has also introduced many liberal social issues, such as the introduction of gay marriages and increased immigration levels.
However, due to the very human nature of having short memories and only remembering the bad, Blair will probably be best known as the PM who lead the UK into a dodgy war based on dodgy intel. I oppose the Iraq War, not due to some pansy peacenik premise, but because that war was based on the wrong premise and had nothing to do with crushing Al Qeada what so ever. Therefore, I support the Afghanistan War. And I disagree with Blair’s unhealthily close relationship with George W Bush.
But in the larger scheme of things, I am of the opinion that Tony Blair was still a great UK Prime Minister and a terrific New Labour leader.
Long live the Third Way!
suck my cock la. do u know how much it costs to sms from malaysia to your australia? as it is i am a terribly broke overexploited intern…
Comment by delwyn — June 29, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
Hurrah, someone who gives Tony Blair his due.
Comment by johnleemk — July 7, 2007 @ 7:48 am
johnleemk: Yeah, I’ve seen some of the fickle British magazines crucifying him here. Most of their analysis and verdicts were too myopic and unforgiving for me to swallow. On the balance of things, Tony Blair was a good leader. Glad to know that you and even Jeff Ooi agrees with me on this.
Comment by sigma — July 12, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Myeh, he may have been great in changing a political party… though, if you see how Cameron is changing the Tories - it doesn’t seem to be that hard a deal in Britishland. Not to forget the Liberals, who transformed so much from classical liberalism to socialism.
But on Tony Blair, I’d say he’s a mixed bag. Much of the successes UK had in his tenure seem to be *inspite* of him, rather because. The economy is chugging well nicely due to Thatcherite reforms - and no thanks to Gordon Browns rapidly increasing taxes and regulation.
Scotland is still in the UK, so that’s good - though considering Blair is Scottish, that a independence-leaning party could win the Scottish elections: not so successful on Blair’s part. England, on the other hand, moved to being apathetic to nationalism. But I guess in some books, that’s a plus.
Crime rates have soared, schools worsen, and that’s the whole taxing the pension accounts bit. Plus, the size of his government grew immensely (sorry, couldn’t keep the libertarian side out) - so much so there’s talk of moving the Prime Minister’s Office away from Downing St! For what end, I ask?
As a politician, he is very successful. In his first year, he is probably the only person capable of turning public opinion against the quite popular Queen. Every part of the past decade seems to be choreographed for the media.
Though to what end? Blair may well be a successful politician, but not a successful leader.
Comment by Rajan R — July 12, 2007 @ 6:41 pm