Labour gives up its pretence to face the real prospect of defeat

[UpInArms]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/06/15/nelec115.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/06/15/ixnewstop.html

After some valiant but futile late-night efforts by Cabinet ministers to defend the indefensible, Labour finally gave up pretending early yesterday.

It had suffered its worst election results since shortly after the First World War and, in the cold light of day, not even the party that invented spin could find a good word to say.

<snip>

Labour MPs are hoping that Mr Blair will use next month's report by Lord Butler into the use of intelligence to admit that the Government made some mistakes in the run-up to war in Iraq.

If they get that apology, a more pragmatic line on Europe, a sense of direction on public services and a Cabinet team with new faces, most Labour MPs will rally behind Mr Blair at the next election.

...more...

[mike_c]

1. hmmm..., I wonder whether the White House...

...will jerk the poodle's leash or whether they'll cut him some slack? On the one hand, any admission of mistakes will reflect badly on Bush, who cannot discover anything to regret even when pushed on national TV, but on the other, Blair is the lynchpin of the "international" coalition and the WH needs his unqualified support.

[AndyTiedye]

3. Probably jerking so hard on it now that Blair may be turning blue.

> I wonder whether the White House...will jerk the poodle's leash.

Blair will stick with Bush* to the bitter end, of himself and
the Labour party, because the BFEE has him completely under their power.

[struggle4progress]

4. W really doesn't give a rat's ass about Tony.

Tony's chain will get jerked hard as often as he responds. After that, Tony gets dropped cold.

[Matilda]

2. I think it's far too late for an apology.

The only thing that will save Labour is for Blair to resign as PM.

He's staunchly followed the Bush line in the face of all evidence
to the contrary. Things won't necessarily be different in a year's
time - at worst, there could be civil war in Iraq. It's unlikely
that by that time we would see a complete change to an Islamic
theocracy (the Americans will still have enough control to prevent
that), but it's equally unlikely that the Iraqis are going to be
content under a government clearly not of their choosing. And
nothing alters the fact that Blair took Britain to war for a lie -
a clear and obvious lie.

I still puzzle over Blair - of the three warmongering leaders, we
know that Bush is a dill, Howard is a toady, but Blair - a man of
such promise, even though I don't particularly care for his "New
Labour" policies. I think Murdoch has him by the short and curlies,
but it's clear now that following the Murdoch line is going to lead
to his defeat, so why hasn't he found the courage to do the right,
and sensible, thing and follow a course that is good for Britain,
not Murdoch?

It also doesn't say much for his party, that they don't just rise up
in a body and demand that he go. Perhaps they've got the leadership
they deserve.

[Oggy]

5. My fear

is a more right wing government by mistake. Sad to say I am inferring Labour are center right under Blair. I agree with you about him sucking up to Murdoch.

The one thing that might save him ( paradoxically ) is when ( I really hope ) Kerry is president. I think the *shrub really brings him down here more than anything else. The weasel is really hated here in the UK.

[Spentastic]

6. Open your eyes

There was a very interesting interview with Mr Blair this week (sorry guys can't remember where). He used language he has never employed before regarding Iraq. I belive that Blair is about to try and apologise his way out of this. I for one will not vote for the Labour party until Tony Blair is out of power. He's a wolf in sheep's clothing and has utterly destroyed the Labour movement within the U.K. Labour won and at the same time lost everything when Tony assumed power. The sight of his sycophantic cabinet makes me sick.

Tony Blair is an arrogant prick. He believed that the public would just forget that he invaded a nation killing thousands of civilians. Tony may be realising slowly that people hate liars and Tony has allied himself with the biggest liar in the world.

Fuck Tony Blair. He's going to let the Tories win and the worst thing is that his corporate masters probably don't care.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. His press conference didn't sound like an apology

"The Iraq war has been cited as a reason for the slump in support for Labour at the polls and Mr Blair acknowledged the conflict had dominated the agenda for many months.

"I understand the strength of feelings it has aroused," he said, arguing that leadership sometimes meant taking unpopular decisions.

He said he continued to believe terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and rogue states were the key security threats facing the world.

"The judgement will increasingly be seen to be to be right as time goes on," Mr Blair predicted."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3807675.stm

No change in direction, just a change in gear: