May 6, 2006
HE'S MAGGIE TO THE END:
Labour civil war as Blair refuses to name a day (Patrick Hennessy and Melissa Kite, 07/05/2006, Sunday Telegraph)
Tony Blair will refuse to put a date on his departure from Downing Street, threatening "civil war" in the Labour Party, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal today.Mr Blair's message of defiance came as leading supporters of Gordon Brown stepped up calls for the Prime Minister to name the day - and rebel Labour MPs circulated a letter demanding a "clear timetable" for his exit.
Today, we publish the full letter which - after last week's local elections disaster for Labour and Mr Blair's "bloodbath" reshuffle - has attracted the support of about 50 backbenchers.
It calls for a "dignified, orderly and efficient" transition of power - suggesting that the present succession crisis engulfing Labour is the exact opposite - but does not mention Mr Brown or any other potential candidate. [...]
Allies of the Prime Minister are openly comparing his plight with that of Margaret Thatcher before her departure in November 1990 and say that Labour must not repeat the Tories' mistake of ditching a successful leader.
We'll have to see what happens to the post-Bush and post-Howard conservative parties, but the possibility exists that those who govern according to the Third Way will almost inevitably be punished by their own party eventually for their very success. The ideologues of both Left and Right may just not be able to reconcile themselves to victories that come at the expense of purity.
Posted by Orrin Judd at May 6, 2006 9:28 PM
Several thoughts:
(1) It was a travesty when those morons stabbed Maggie in the back and got the likes of john Major.
(2) Another of the many reasons I've come to dislike the NR crowd. They hate Blair, and they've come to dislike W.
(3)We all know OJ's feelings for the Maggster. Now he's saying Blair is "Maggie to the end". Does these mean that Tony has vaulted over Chow Yun Fat is the prison bitch sweepstakes? Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Posted by: Jim in Chicago at May 6, 2006 9:51 PMIf you're the bitch of a guy who models himself on a woman you're gay.
But what do you mean now?
www.brothersjudd.com/blog/archives/2002/03/with_us_its_just_love_new_labo.html
Posted by: oj at May 6, 2006 9:56 PMque?
Posted by: Jim in Chicago at May 6, 2006 10:05 PMIt's like France, Russia, and Iran. The revolution happens when things are getting better, but not as fast as you want them to. Hurry has destroyed countries and movements.
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at May 6, 2006 10:30 PM