May 8, 2005
DOES HE EVEN HATE THE PARTY ENOUGH TO BREAK IT?:
Defiant Blair to battle rebel MPs (FRASER NELSON AND BRIAN BRADY, 5/08/05, The Scotsman)
TONY Blair is to throw down the gauntlet to Labour rebels demanding his resignation by unveiling a controversial series of bills on welfare, asylum and terrorism later this month.The beleaguered Prime Minister has ordered his ministers to push ahead with the radical moves, even though they are certain to intensify the battle raging between New and old Labour.
Just days after the party’s majority was slashed to 67, rebel Labour MPs are preparing to meet to discuss in detail their tactics for killing off the New Labour project and ousting Blair from Downing Street.
Diehard opponents of the Prime Minister believe the stinging rebuke delivered to Blair by the electorate last Thursday could force him to step down by the party conference in September.
Blair, however, is determined to face down the 40-strong group of rebel Labour MPs, and believes his aggressive strategy could give him at least three further years in office.
The current alignment of parties in Britain makes no sense and it would be easy enough to force the contradictions, if he has the stomach for it and enough Third Way members to retain control of Labour.
Posted by Orrin Judd at May 8, 2005 10:03 AM
Mr. Judd;
It seems like a good move by Blair. He, unlike so many others, seems to realize that if you're fading away politically, the smart move is to double down. If you lose, you've only hastened the inevitable. If you win, however, you win big.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at May 8, 2005 12:26 PMPlus, his obvious successor is forced to side with him on this fight.
Posted by: oj at May 8, 2005 12:41 PMI don't see Blair going softly into the night.
Posted by: erp at May 8, 2005 6:15 PMAs Blair has thus far combined enormous courage with an untrammeled sense of values that he defends with great eloquence (even though one may wish that he has sobered up a bit on the idea of the nanny state), anyone doubting that he is also an extraordinarily tenacious political animal will be quickly set straight.
He has tremendous guts. And he's willing to risk his political neck for doing what he believes is right. It is not hyperbole to declare that the man is simply a hero. GO TONY.
Posted by: Barry Meislin at May 9, 2005 6:25 AM