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Blair @ Brown


Captain Willard
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Been watching this series. Very good. Quick observations;

 

Blair clearly haunted by the Iraq war. Knows it destroyed his legacy and killed 100,000s.

Mandelson comes across as a tortured soul, broke down in tears at one point.

 

Brown remains an enigma to me, clearly a genius who saved the global economy after the crash but comes across as being completely devoid of social skills. I heard from a Labour source that after the infamous “bigoted woman” caught on a microphone, the reaction from the team was mainly relief, it could have been so much worse if the public had heard a real Brown tantrum. 

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7 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

Been watching this series. Very good. Quick observations;

 

Blair clearly haunted by the Iraq war. Knows it destroyed his legacy and killed 100,000s.

Mandelson comes across as a tortured soul, broke down in tears at one point.

 

Brown remains an enigma to me, clearly a genius who saved the global economy after the crash but comes across as being completely devoid of social skills. I heard from a Labour source that after the infamous “bigoted woman” caught on a microphone, the reaction from the team was mainly relief, it could have been so much worse if the public had heard a real Brown tantrum. 

Time to rehabilitate Tony and Co, is it? 

 

Haunted Tone? Tortured Pete? Genius Gordy?! Give me a fucking break... 

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18 minutes ago, Captain Turdseye said:

I’ve stuck it on in bed every night for a week and I’m barely into episode two. 
 

Perfect combination of being interesting but yet dull enough to make you nod off pretty quickly. I’ll get another couple of weeks out of this. 

So an effective cure for insomnia then. Must give it a watch.

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4 minutes ago, Harry's Lad said:

So an effective cure for insomnia then. Must give it a watch.


I love stuff like that. It took me months to watch Ken Burns ‘The Civil War’ series in bed every night. Not only was it interesting but the narrator’s voice, coupled with the soothing music would put me to sleep within two minutes. 
 

I started a thread on here about this topic. TV shows that put you to sleep. 

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51 minutes ago, Captain Willard said:

Been watching this series. Very good. Quick observations;

 

Blair clearly haunted by the Iraq war. Knows it destroyed his legacy and killed 100,000s

Mandelson comes across as a tortured soul, broke down in tears at one point.

 

Brown remains an enigma to me, clearly a genius who saved the global economy after the crash but comes across as being completely devoid of social skills. I heard from a Labour source that after the infamous “bigoted woman” caught on a microphone, the reaction from the team was mainly relief, it could have been so much worse if the public had heard a real Brown tantrum. 

 

I thought it was excellent, in no way did I get the Blair tortured soul vibe, same with Mandleson and their actions since the events you mention show a certain level of disdain. Brown meanwhile comes across as a deeply regrettable character, undoubtedly a massive political figure but the one flaw of not understanding and being in touch with the political times cost him his job and legacy, ie not going to the country when he had a hugh poll lead against Cameron, a political vibe Blair possessed in spades. Like all great partnerships (and they won three elections) they were stronger together and flawed when apart, a bit like like Lennon and McCartney. Just my take on it.

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I welcomed New Labour at the time, that election was like an 18 year Tory weight had been lifted. 

 

They achieved some great things, such as the minimum wage and record investment in the NHS.

 

But they also sowed the seeds of some of the worst things about the country. Student loans, the endless housing price bubble, GP and dental contracts that makes both services much shitter than they used to be, with all the knock on effects that has for the wider NHS. PFI debt, which is breathtaking in scope and means there's brand new schools laying empty even today, being cleaned and maintained because councils can't afford to close them.

 

Beyond that, the obsession with image over substance, spin and stats. There'd be no Cameron without Blair.

 

Politics used to be boring. I miss boring.

 

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1 hour ago, Captain Turdseye said:


I love stuff like that. It took me months to watch Ken Burns ‘The Civil War’ series in bed every night. Not only was it interesting but the narrator’s voice, coupled with the soothing music would put me to sleep within two minutes. 
 

I started a thread on here about this topic. TV shows that put you to sleep. 

I have yet to get to the end of any of the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit films.

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17 minutes ago, YorkshireRed said:

Whatever your politics it’s an interesting perspective on that period and the relationship between Blair and Brown.

 

I’m enjoying it. 

 

Definitely. Whatever you think about people like them, or the likes of John Major and Heseltine for that matter, they look like intellectual powerhouses compared to the current crop we have. Imagine when the history books and TV shows are written about this era?

 

"Afghanistan was on the verge of collapse, Raab was on holiday and had left strict instructions not to be disturbed while he was by the pool."

 

"As the Pandemic began to escalate, The Prime Minister asked a vacuum cleaner company to make some ventilators. Then he went camping." 

 

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1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

I welcomed New Labour at the time, that election was like an 18 year Tory weight had been lifted. 

 

They achieved some great things, such as the minimum wage and record investment in the NHS.

 

But they also sowed the seeds of some of the worst things about the country. Student loans, the endless housing price bubble, GP and dental contracts that makes both services much shitter than they used to be, with all the knock on effects that has for the wider NHS. PFI debt, which is breathtaking in scope and means there's brand new schools laying empty even today, being cleaned and maintained because councils can't afford to close them.

 

Beyond that, the obsession with image over substance, spin and stats. There'd be no Cameron without Blair.

 

Politics used to be boring. I miss boring.

 

I came away thinking the same, I'm gutted Brown didn't call that election when he was miles up and put Cameron and Osborne in the political bin but that's the story of the Labour Party imo they often dont take the obvious choice, they over complicate things, imo still happens today.

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2 hours ago, Captain Turdseye said:

I’ve stuck it on in bed every night for a week and I’m barely into episode two. 
 

Perfect combination of being interesting but yet dull enough to make you nod off pretty quickly. I’ll get another couple of weeks out of this. 

Sounds right up my street. I've been nodding off to A House Through Time, but I've almost exhausted the latest series.

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1 hour ago, Section_31 said:

I welcomed New Labour at the time, that election was like an 18 year Tory weight had been lifted. 

 

They achieved some great things, such as the minimum wage and record investment in the NHS.

 

But they also sowed the seeds of some of the worst things about the country. Student loans, the endless housing price bubble, GP and dental contracts that makes both services much shitter than they used to be, with all the knock on effects that has for the wider NHS. PFI debt, which is breathtaking in scope and means there's brand new schools laying empty even today, being cleaned and maintained because councils can't afford to close them.

 

Beyond that, the obsession with image over substance, spin and stats. There'd be no Cameron without Blair.

 

Politics used to be boring. I miss boring.

 

I think there is an argument that Campbell was the first to use spin and image to promote a PM in this country and eventually this led us to Boris, a public caricature of himself (who is very different in real life). 

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15 hours ago, Gnasher said:

I came away thinking the same, I'm gutted Brown didn't call that election when he was miles up and put Cameron and Osborne in the political bin but that's the story of the Labour Party imo they often dont take the obvious choice, they over complicate things, imo still happens today.

Same mistake Callaghan made in 78, he could have spared us the worst if Thatchers excesses if he'd gone to the country early.

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17 hours ago, Captain Willard said:

I think there is an argument that Campbell was the first to use spin and image to promote a PM in this country and eventually this led us to Boris, a public caricature of himself (who is very different in real life). 

 

I think anyone making that argument is giving Campbell far too much credit.

 

The manipulation of image, figures and events to offer the most favourable portrayal of a leader is at least as old as recorded human history  - Augustus was a master of it. 

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Very good watch- having just won the first election and having been up all night, Blair was stood outside of number 10 waving to the press and the millions watching on TV. Stood there quite a while. Turns out, it was because he wasnt sure how to open the door  

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On 20/10/2021 at 16:34, Section_31 said:

 

Definitely. Whatever you think about people like them, or the likes of John Major and Heseltine for that matter, they look like intellectual powerhouses compared to the current crop we have. Imagine when the history books and TV shows are written about this era?

 

"Afghanistan was on the verge of collapse, Raab was on holiday and had left strict instructions not to be disturbed while he was by the pool."

 

"As the Pandemic began to escalate, The Prime Minister asked a vacuum cleaner company to make some ventilators. Then he went camping." 

 

Blair and Brown were some partnership given that they were severe rivals. Brown was a fucking brain and Blair an unbelievably talented politician, he was incredibly perceptive.

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