I can't believe it's been ten years already. I remember when Labour won the General Election. We were at school when it as announced and we all celebrated at the front gates to finally be shot of Conservative rule in what was a massive landslide victory. Even at that age we knew how important it was.
Since then repairing what Thatcher did to the country has been somewhat of a slow process and was never going to reach the levels of hype that people were sold on in '97. Hardly surprising though.
The Iraq war has forever mired his Premiership but it's done now. Despite his unpopularity in recent years he will be remembered as the greatest electoral leader in British history and brokering peace deals in N. Ireland actually did have a major positive effect in what was often a difficult process of building social reform at home.
Still, transport, health care, social order and inner city urbanization have been less than glorious. Again, more a product of the Thatcher era and goals that were always going to be unattainable to reach in ten years.
Not to say that more couldn't have been done.
Spin has also been a problem for this Government though I think Blair is judged too harshly at times.
The fact of the matter is that I very much doubt the Conservatives or Labour are going to reinvent politics with his departure like Blair did when he entered office. Instead they're going to build on what he has already done.
Our staunch support of America and standing shoulder to shoulder closer than ever since 9/11 is, for the most part, how it should be. You can argue over what the US and UK have done internationally but that doesn't change the fact that Britain has done what it has always done --namely acting the exact opposite way of France-- and that we have always been cantankerous and hardline when it comes to defense.
As for his role in Europe: Blair's got two words for Chirac and Schroeder.
SUCK IT!
It has still been a decade of sustained prosperity and economic stability. Though the latter has a lot to do with our now new leader, Gordon Brown.
We've lost the great communicator and in his place we now have Gordon Brown and it's anyones guess to how how effective he will be in filling Blair's shoes.
I'm not a Blairite though I would still support him to stay even though that's clearly not an option now.
Today is a big day in history.
I was going to post this in Armchair Philosophers but I can't be arsed with all the fringe politics that get bandied about as meaningful and insightful discourse.
Spam is preferable to that. Plus we have the highest ratio of Brits here in the MF.
