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General Election 2017







Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Replace distain for a stronger word then. The point remains the same.

I'm not trying to catch you out here but do you think that Blair's subsequent activities and comments after leaving office have helped? Blair now knows that the reasons for going to war were all predicated on half-truths, exaggerations, misunderstandings and plain lies. I'll concede that reviews have more or less cleared him of being dishonest but he has seen what has happened to Iraq and Syria. With all that in mind, if he had decided to keep a very low profile or spent his time trying to help those affected by his actions, I think we'd all be a little bit more understanding.

Instead, he's now as rich as Croesus having been very prominent on the lecture circuit, he's declared that God wanted him to go to war and has touted himself as a Middle East peace envoy without the slightest hint of irony.

Why should history take a sympathetic view of him if it appears to the rest of us that he's not just unrepentant but rubbing our noses in it?
 


Wrong-Direction

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2013
13,587
Strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable strong and stable


The more times you hear it the more you'll believe it.

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk
 


jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,736
Sullington
Blair was PM though, we are discussing his Government, I thought

He was Chancellor and very much in charge and again from memory it was his Policy setting up Euro Entry Tests which we would have to pass (and didn't) to ditch the Pound and take up the Euro. Go and ask a Greek or an Italian about what a Great Step Forward that was...
 


larus

Well-known member
I think his foreign policy in regards to the Middle East, and his slavish behaviour, with regard to Bush and America, is denounced by most commentators, but, his home policies, were far better than anything we have had since. The NHS waiting lists were at their lowest over recent times, lending rates were at a record low, inflation was at an equal low, as was unemployment. We didnt enter the Euro, with hindsight, an excellent decision, and, we had the Good Friday Agreement. Nit too shabby, from a lite weight, oh, and he won three consecutive General Elections

It should be pointed out that there is an economic cycle. Good times and bad times (unless you belive the BS of Gordon 'end of boom and bust' Brown). Therefore in the 'good times' of the early noughties, we should have been paying down the government debt. However, the Labout government were on a spending spree and also committing future governments to large expenditure on PFI projects, which are (for some insane reason) not accounted as national debt, even though they are liabilities.

The Labour spending plans weren't sustainabale, especially with the demographic time-bomb of an aging population and the extra demand they make in terms of pensions/NHS etc.
 






Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Swiftly followed by Cameron, in Libya, now another basketcase, ungovernable, and ripe for a Daesh incursion.

Two wrongs don't make a right, but, Cameron should have taken note of Iraq and kept well out of it.

Hindsight,eh?

I'm not disagreeing, we messed up over Libya but I don't think the hidden reasons for our involvement in Libya are on the same scale. The mess is as bad though. Without doubt.
 


lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
NSC Patron
Jun 11, 2011
14,021
Worthing
It should be pointed out that there is an economic cycle. Good times and bad times (unless you belive the BS of Gordon 'end of boom and bust' Brown). Therefore in the 'good times' of the early noughties, we should have been paying down the government debt. However, the Labout government were on a spending spree and also committing future governments to large expenditure on PFI projects, which are (for some insane reason) not accounted as national debt, even though they are liabilities.

The Labour spending plans weren't sustainabale, especially with the demographic time-bomb of an aging population and the extra demand they make in terms of pensions/NHS etc.

And yet, we can still afford a replacement for Trident,

All about priorities, i suppise.
 






larus

Well-known member
And yet, we can still afford a replacement for Trident,

All about priorities, i suppise.

I have mixed views about a nuclear deterrent. I wish we didn't need it, as it's never going to be used. However, it's about influence/power I feel. I'm not saying it's right.

Again though, you have ignored the point about over-spending/PFI and again deflected to a different topic - this time Trident.
 


lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
NSC Patron
Jun 11, 2011
14,021
Worthing
That's just deflection. You're going on about how good Blair was and he didn't join the EURO. I've pointed out that he wanted to, so deflecting to another one of his f*ckups doesn't negate my point.

Sorry, I wasn't saying how good Blair was, I thought he was a tw@, but, with most domestic policies, he was better than anything we have had since.
I have always voted Labour, Blair was a light blue Tory in a lot of things, however, he did get a lot right, especially in hus first term, but as his time went on, he got less and less right.
 




The Rivet

Well-known member
Aug 9, 2011
4,591
Sorry, I wasn't saying how good Blair was, I thought he was a tw@, but, with most domestic policies, he was better than anything we have had since.
I have always voted Labour, Blair was a light blue Tory in a lot of things, however, he did get a lot right, especially in hus first term, but as his time went on, he got less and less right.

Historically or with conviction?
 


lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
NSC Patron
Jun 11, 2011
14,021
Worthing
It should be pointed out that there is an economic cycle. Good times and bad times (unless you belive the BS of Gordon 'end of boom and bust' Brown). Therefore in the 'good times' of the early noughties, we should have been paying down the government debt. However, the Labout government were on a spending spree and also committing future governments to large expenditure on PFI projects, which are (for some insane reason) not accounted as national debt, even though they are liabilities.

The Labour spending plans weren't sustainabale, especially with the demographic time-bomb of an aging population and the extra demand they make in terms of pensions/NHS etc.

Had we not had the financial meltdown in 2008, that (hardly) anyone saw coming, who's to say Labours policies wouldn't have been a fiscally successful as they weee socially. It depends on where you think the country's resources should be spent, and where they should come from
 








glasfryn

cleaning up cat sick
Nov 29, 2005
20,261
somewhere in Eastbourne
I have mixed views about a nuclear deterrent. I wish we didn't need it, as it's never going to be used. However, it's about influence/power I feel. I'm not saying it's right.

Again though, you have ignored the point about over-spending/PFI and again deflected to a different topic - this time Trident.

WE SHOULD RESPECT THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMED TRIDENT
because he will be our leader, he and the crew will be the only Brits left
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,940
Had we not had the financial meltdown in 2008, that (hardly) anyone saw coming, who's to say Labours policies wouldn't have been a fiscally successful as they weee socially.

deficit was increasing and forecast to increase further, while economy was turning downward, before the bank problems emerged. Labour policy was banking on a perpetual steady GDP growth and moderate interest rates, so highly unlikely this would have continued indefinatly. it was seen coming and commented on at the time that it was a shock away from recession...
 






lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
NSC Patron
Jun 11, 2011
14,021
Worthing
deficit was increasing and forecast to increase further, while economy was turning downward, before the bank problems emerged. Labour policy was banking on a perpetual steady GDP growth and moderate interest rates, so highly unlikely this would have continued indefinatly. it was seen coming and commented on at the time that it was a shock away from recession...

With regard interest rates, remind me what they are now?

It's all about which set of figures you believe, or, more to the point, can make the voters believe.
 
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Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Not heard of Kantar before but they've just polled the Tories at 48% and Labour at 24%. Also say that only 1 in 7 young voters say they will definitely vote.

[tweet]859885175307726856[/tweet]
 


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