I have always supported and voted for the Labour Party. A few years ago, I joined the Labour Party as a Member. Furthermore, I have always supported the leadership of the Party and the reforms first started by Neil Kinnock which lead to "New Labour" and the election of a Labour Party government. In my view, Tony Blair was the best British Prime Minister since Winston Churchill (he was of course re-elected after Clement Attlee). Clement Attlee's Labour government was arguably the Labour Party's best period of administration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bldWwrgS_E Tony Blair & New Labour.
Anybody who lived through the 1980's either loved or hated Thatcher's Conservative government. I do, however, have to differ with Tony Blair's admiration of Thatcher.
Why?
She was a divisive Prime Minister and forgot that she was elected to represent the whole nation and all of its people (whether they supported her or not). Recent disclosures claimed that her government wanted to let Liverpool go into decline and rot; Liverpool being one of our major cities. An absolute disgrace. Thatcher's government had an appalling record of industrial relations and seriously damaged our country's primary and manufacturing industries; this included a long battle with our miners and mining industry. Yes, people will argue that due to the `Green Movement' the mining industry would eventually become obsolete but (i) there are sensible and constructive ways of managing this process and (ii) the alternative `green coal' option may become a viable alternative as other energy resources are becoming scarce and expensive. Moreover, existing miners could have been allowed to continue working until retirement without new miners being employed in the industry. The miners had my moral support at the time.
Governments must take full responsibilty for the running of the country including the state of the economy from day one of office until the day they leave office and the buck should not be passed to the previous administration. The Conservatives always blame the previous Labour government and always abdicate responsibility.
Thatcher's government did not run the economy as well as they claim. Conservatives forget record unemployment, Black Wednesday and high interest rates. Unemployment, interest rates and inflation came down under Blair's Labour government. The Labour Party proved that it had the capability to manage the economy in a competent manner. What about Brown's Labour government ? Yes, the Labour Party should take responsibilty for the recession (although it was the Banking system that caused the mess) because it happened under their watch. As a consequence, we lost the last election. It should be noted, though, that things would have been the same if not worse under a Conservative government; after all, they believe in deregulation and not more regulation and they also claim not to believe in state intervention. The banking system would have collapsed without state intervention. The current Cameron Conservative government took responsibility for the running of the country and the economy when it formed the coalition government. Since then, it has failed to take the right decisions and come up with the correct answers to stimulate growth and get us out of recession. The Conservative government under Thatcher and Major won 4 consecutive general elections not because of their popularity but because of the weakness of the Labour Party during that period, which was for the most part unelectable.
The Labour Party created the NHS and it is only safe in our hands. The Conservatives will privatise the NHS by stealth. We must not allow it to happen. It is the NHS which makes Labour Party supporters different from the rest.
http://www.channel4.com/news/andrew-lansley-mobbed-by-angry-nhs-campaigners : What a wonderful woman "I won't let you go".
Blair's New Labour best reflected the aspirations of our nation and was extremely popular winning three consecutive elections. New Labour introduced the minimum wage, winter payments for the elderly and reduced income taxes for all sections of the community. New Labour also brought peace in Ireland with the Good Friday Agreement. Blair also intervened in the former Yugoslavia preventing further atrocities and help bring an eventual end to the conflict. Blair also took the right decision by going to war against an evil tyrant Saddam Hussein who was eventually brought to justice. Blair's Labour government also decentralised democracy at a more local level in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Labour government under Blair and Brown was a more competent and fairer administration than any government since the days of Clement Attlee. It also invested more money in education and the NHS than any other government. Blair's Labour government, in my opinion, was an unqualified success and the sooner the Party re-engages with the New Labour agenda, the better. Victory at the next general election depends on this, otherwise, we will lose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTHjnB4pgHo&feature=relmfu Blair was wrong about Saddam having weapons of mass destruction but was right to bring him to justice for causing over a million deaths in the wars he started against Iran and Kuwait and other crimes against humanity. The End justified the Means. Let's get things straight, Saddam was the war criminal not Tony Blair. Which side were you on, Blair or Saddam ? If you opposed the war, you supported Saddam Hussein, it is as simple as that !
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