Tony Blair announces today he's leaving office

[T_i_B]

Just thought you might like to know.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6639945.stm

[JI7]

1. is he going to get some multi million dollar book deal ?

where he tells all and how he was a victim ?

[lligrd]

2. Millions of Pounds Short and Years Late

Still, can't help but wish it was Bush.

[lpbk2713]

3. Blair and family will now retire to the BushCo hacienda in South America.

:shrug:

[flyarm]

4. don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out tony!!..hague for you tony!! eom

[T_i_B]

6. I was wondering when someone would say that

[lovuian]

5. 10 years of Oppresion and war He leaves a millionaire

and a war that was never won

[az chela]

7. Will he be checking into the bush kennel with barney???

[Jim Warren]

8. Carlyle Group?

The bone the poodle has been waiting for.

[Bluebear]

9. You said it n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

17. That was my first thought, following in John Majors footsteps. Second thought..Pres, World Bank?

Seems the timing is perfect to take over Wolfowitz' job.

[malaise]

10. Live coverage on BBC International TV

They're trying hard to avoid discussions on Iraq but it's not working.

[T_i_B]

11. It's all over BBC news yes

[senseandsensibility]

16. Why is the BBC trying to avoid discussions on Iraq?

n/t.

[LeftishBrit]

12. Hip hip HOORAY!

Time for some Bette Midler lyrics:


So pack your toys away,...

your alibis away,
your silly lies away,.....

your one more tries away.
You're moving out today.

....

la la la la la la la la la.
la la la la la la la la . . .

"The reason I'm singing la la is because I'm so happy you're going.
Gosh, you've made me miserable.
I don't think I've ever been so unhappy as I've been this last year (or ten!) with you.
You are really a dirty, dirty guy. Did anybody ever tell you that?
Oh, uh, by the way, would you, uh, take off that coat you're wearing?
That's my coat you're wearing. Ah, yes. Thank you, oh. Goodbye!
Parting is such sweet sorrow . . ."



And now back to worrying about whether dear Gordon will actually be any better!

[T_i_B]

13. Those Blair achievements in full

http://paullinford.blogspot.com/2007/05/those-blair-achievements-in-full_10.html

By way of a farewell tribute to a great Prime Minister, here's a quick reminder of Tony Blair's legacy to the nation.

1. Northern Ireland peace process. It was John Major who started that.

2. Scottish and Welsh devolution. That was John Smith's idea, and Blair implemented it only with extreme reluctance.

3. The minimum wage. That was Keir Hardie's, and Blair fought it tooth and nail.

4. Low unemployment, low interest rates, low inflation. That will be thanks to Gordon Brown, then.

5. Three Labour election victories. The first one a donkey could have won. The third would have been a bigger victory without him.

6. Restoration of London-wide government. Better not let that dangerous Ken Livingstone anywhere near it though.

7. Tackling inequality. Except that he didn't - it got wider.

8. Saving the NHS. Except that he didn't - scores of health trusts ended up in the red.

9. "Education, education, education." Was that really once what New Labour was supposed to be about?

10. Spin, Iraq, cash for honours, politicisation of the civil service, sofa-style government, "Cool Brittania," the Millennium Dome, the "Third Way," and spending his last two years in office obsessing about what he would be remembered for.

Cruel? Maybe. But someone has to balance out all this absurd memorialising that's going on.

[napi21]

14. I heard that this AM. What's with the Brits? 6/27 is a Wed!

Don't they end things either at the end of a month, or at least the end of a week?

[T_i_B]

15. Nope: LEADERSHIP CONTEST!

Well somebody has to replace him!

And that somebody will be the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. There's no other genuinely credible candidate standing and the 2 lefties running (John McDonnell & Michael Meacher) will be fortunate if they get the 44 nominations from MP's needed to get onto the ballot paper.

The contest for the deputy leadership may be more interesting, even if it is a whole lot less relevent.