Tony Blair

[clangers]

It happened on their watch large scale public and private investment on a scale never seen anywhere else. From Liverpool One to Mann Island, and not to mention what happened near me.

 

The health service was revamped for the better, new hospitals have sprung up, more people than ever went to University.

 

As did the banking crisis and spending £160 billion we didn't have between 2003-2007. Hospital infrastructure hasn't been paid for yet, we've still got over £60 billion in PFI's outstanding.

 

The national Labour party had little to do with the regeneration of Liverpool or Manchester. It's actually an example of local government in partnership with the local private sector particularly in Manchester's case, a model largely followed by Liverpool.

 

You could give Labour credit for playing their part in creating the economic boom that provided funding but as we've now discovered that was all a massive credit card splurge it's a moot point.

[ChrisM]

As did the banking crisis and spending £160 billion we didn't have between 2003-2007. Hospital infrastructure hasn't been paid for yet, we've still got over £60 billion in PFI's outstanding.

 

The national Labour party had little to do with the regeneration of Liverpool or Manchester. It's actually an example of local government in partnership with the local private sector particularly in Manchester's case, a model largely followed by Liverpool.

 

You could give Labour credit for playing their part in creating the economic boom that provided funding but as we've now discovered that was all a massive credit card splurge it's a moot point.

 

Yes but he's not 'arsed', because he got a new school and some other stuff out of it.

[brucespanner]

As did the banking crisis and spending £160 billion we didn't have between 2003-2007. Hospital infrastructure hasn't been paid for yet, we've still got over £60 billion in PFI's outstanding.

 

The national Labour party had little to do with the regeneration of Liverpool or Manchester. It's actually an example of local government in partnership with the local private sector particularly in Manchester's case, a model largely followed by Liverpool.

 

You could give Labour credit for playing their part in creating the economic boom that provided funding but as we've now discovered that was all a massive credit card splurge it's a moot point.

 

Would that be the whizzbang computer system that was scrapped by the ConDem's this week? Only twelve billion lost!!!!

 

Jesus Christ no wonder the country is on it's knees.

[JER]

John Smith's heart attack robbed us of a great prime minister - he would have won with a smaller majority but done better things with it.

 

If Blair had continued the good work of the first term he could be proud of his achievements, but things went downhill as soon as the 1st plane hit the twin towers. Iraq and top up fees were unforgivable, but no matter how bad things got under labour, they are much worse now.

 

You have to remember the shitty 1950s schools and hospitals that labour inherited to appreciate what they did.

[JER]

As did the banking crisis and spending £160 billion we didn't have between 2003-2007. Hospital infrastructure hasn't been paid for yet, we've still got over £60 billion in PFI's outstanding.

 

The national Labour party had little to do with the regeneration of Liverpool or Manchester. It's actually an example of local government in partnership with the local private sector particularly in Manchester's case, a model largely followed by Liverpool.

 

You could give Labour credit for playing their part in creating the economic boom that provided funding but as we've now discovered that was all a massive credit card splurge it's a moot point.

 

Georgie Boy was happy to use the credit card last year - to borrow record amounts. But then that's the "worldwide crisis" apparently

[Strontium]

The national Labour party had little to do with the regeneration of Liverpool or Manchester. It's actually an example of local government in partnership with the local private sector particularly in Manchester's case, a model largely followed by Liverpool.

 

 

Labour in Liverpool was actually an obstruction to redevelopment. Too many stories to list here, but one that really summed them up was during the final days of the previous Labour council before they lost power in 1998, when they sold an option on Chavasse Park to Bill Davies for £50,000. It cost the city council £2m to fight that option off so we could get Liverpool One built.

 

Now that's perhaps off the main topic of Blair, but thematically not, because leaving a mess for their successors to deal with is something that characterises the modern Labour politician, which Blair is the apotheosis of. Utterly devoid of principle or remorse, where getting and retaining power is the overriding concern rather than the means to an end. You will hear Labour supporters castigating Blair on a regular basis, but you know they would trade Ed Miliband for another Blair in a heartbeat.

[Strontium]

Would that be the whizzbang computer system that was scrapped by the ConDem's this week? Only twelve billion lost!!!!

 

Jesus Christ no wonder the country is on it's knees.

 

 

No, the useless computer system is additional to that sum. Clangers is talking about the £11.4bn of PFI hospital improvements that will eventually cost the country in excess of £70bn. Tremendous value for money, I'm sure we can all agree.

[brucespanner]

No, the useless computer system is additional to that sum. Clangers is talking about the £11.4bn of PFI hospital improvements that will eventually cost the country in excess of £70bn. Tremendous value for money, I'm sure we can all agree.

 

I know, I was being facetious.

 

The whole PFI fiasco will be the economic legacy of Blair/Brown's time in office, plus what Gordon kept off of the balance sheets.

[Vincent Vega]

Manchester's redevelopment was down to an IRA bomb.

[Mr. Beast]

As George Galloway said roughly a year ago on Questiontime "You will never find two people more enamoured with wealth than Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson."

 

there's an anecdote where Roy Hattersley and Robin Cook confronted him -'as a Labour Leader, how can you send your kids to private school?' Tony answers 'I don't want them to end up like Harold Wilsons'

 

Bare in mind Wilsons kids weren't exactly unsuccesful. One was a senior professor and mathmeticain at the Open University, the other headmaster at a grammar school. Sums up his value system - respects power and wealth above public service.

 

this was on last night if it's not already been mentioned.

Dispatches - The Wonderful World of Tony Blair - Channel 4

[ChrisM]

Manchester's redevelopment was down to an IRA bomb.

 

Or, as my Irish Auntie (RIP) called it, 'the accident'.

[Section_31]

John Smith's heart attack robbed us of a great prime minister - he would have won with a smaller majority but done better things with it.

 

If Blair had continued the good work of the first term he could be proud of his achievements, but things went downhill as soon as the 1st plane hit the twin towers. Iraq and top up fees were unforgivable, but no matter how bad things got under labour, they are much worse now.

 

You have to remember the shitty 1950s schools and hospitals that labour inherited to appreciate what they did.

 

 

This is the point which is rarely mentioned when people mention Labour's spending. Britain was a desolate hell hole in the 80s and that's no exageration. My memories of Liverpool mostly revolve around grafiti, stairwells (what ever happened to stairwells?) and piss. My school canteen had an asbestos roof, and the Royal had brown lights and stank mainly of death.

[brucespanner]

Fuck me if Milliband is the best Labour have got we'll have a Tory government for a long time yet!

 

His speech is fucking woeful.

 

'Labour Liverpool' Fuck off and grow a back bone.

[cochcaer]

Blair is the apotheosis of. Utterly devoid of principle or remorse, where getting and retaining power is the overriding concern

 

Pots n kettles. This thread is you being a stereotypical opportunist.

[Strontium]

This is the point which is rarely mentioned when people mention Labour's spending. Britain was a desolate hell hole in the 80s and that's no exageration. My memories of Liverpool mostly revolve around grafiti, stairwells (what ever happened to stairwells?) and piss. My school canteen had an asbestos roof, and the Royal had brown lights and stank mainly of death.

 

 

The Royal was only completed in 1978. They made a right hash of it, they started in 1966!

 

We'll gloss over the details of who was in power when they started building it, shall we :whistle:

 

Pots n kettles. This thread is you being a stereotypical opportunist.

 

 

If you're going to call me a hypocrite, the polite thing would be to demonstrate how.

 

I freely admit to using this thread as an opportunity to give my opinion on the topic, feel free to give your opinion, and if sufficiently different, we can have a discussion.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Labour's record on the NHS is by far the best of any party. Tiny little digs, or mistakes made, won't escape the fact that Labour introduced it and then improved it. It won't escape that the Tories want to piss on it and the the Liberal Democrats are enabling them to go back on the 'not top down re-organisation' pledge. 'Democrats'.

 

As for this fucking speech... I'm nearly nodding off.

[brucespanner]

Labour's record on the NHS is by far the best of any party. Tiny little digs, or mistakes made, won't escape the fact that Labour introduced it and then improved it. It won't escape that the Tories want to piss on it and the the Liberal Democrats are enabling them to go back on the 'not top down re-organisation' pledge. 'Democrats'.

 

As for this fucking speech... I'm nearly nodding off.

 

It sounds like it was written by a Daily Hail feature writer.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Chatter about new economy, rigged markets and pro-business is quite good.

[ChrisM]

'The media even had a name for it - ED NOSE DAY!'

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

 

 

 

(Do you see, conference? Do you see just how relevant I am? I was in THE PAPERS!)

[brucespanner]

Chatter about new economy, rigged markets and pro-business is quite good.

 

Platitudes and sound bites for the day after tomorrows chip wrappers.

 

He's just not convincing. He's picking lowest common denominator targets and telling us what's wrong but not how he'll, attempt, to fix it. Modern day career politician for me.

 

It's all well and good saying 'what we need to do', but he's not saying what he will do, it's fucking infuriating, somebody needs to stick their neck out and speak realistically about the state we're in and how we can fix it!

[Strontium]

It's all well and good saying 'what we need to do', but he's not saying what he will do

 

 

His problem is that they don't actually have any settled policies yet. Can anybody name one? Angela Eagle couldn't when questioned by Stephen Nolan on Radio 5 on Sunday night, and she's the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

[brucespanner]

His problem is that they don't actually have any settled policies yet. Can anybody name one? Angela Eagle couldn't when questioned by Stephen Nolan on Radio 5 on Sunday night, and she's the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

 

Reducing tuition fee to a £6000 cap?

 

The only policy I can see is trying to remain as centralist as possible whilst the coalition implodes, after that Labour can pick up the pieces.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

His problem is that they don't actually have any settled policies yet.

Nor should he have.

[VladimirIlyich]

The Royal was only completed in 1978. They made a right hash of it, they started in 1966!

 

We'll gloss over the details of who was in power when they started building it, shall we :whistle:

 

 

 

 

If you're going to call me a hypocrite, the polite thing would be to demonstrate how.

 

I freely admit to using this thread as an opportunity to give my opinion on the topic, feel free to give your opinion, and if sufficiently different, we can have a discussion.

 

And your party's solution to the problems created is to enable the tories to destroy everything good that was left while they pat you on the head and tell you how important you are before asking your leader to go and put the kettle on.

 

The money is still in this country but its still in the pockets of the privileged few who have avoided paying it in the correct way for at least the past 30 years,while being happy to rake it in.

[Strontium]

Reducing tuition fee to a £6000 cap?

 

 

That's about it so far, although I doubt whether they'll run with it in 2015 given how ill-conceived it is.

 

Nor should he have.

 

 

They should have some. At the moment it appears to be "oppose everything the government does".

 

Which is fine if you're just after easy headlines, but when someone calls your bluff and asks you what cuts you'd reverse, and you admit that actually, you won't commit to reversing a single one of them, it makes them seem like cynical opportunists.