What do Blair's memoirs tell you about Labour?
Tony Blair has revealed in his memoirs the inner workings of his relationship with Gordon Brown while they were prime minister and chancellor. Does it change your view of the Labour government?
Mr Blair said Gordon Brown's time as prime minister "was never going to work" because the former chancellor had "zero emotional intelligence".
He also told the BBC that Mr Brown could also be an "immense source of strength" but that Labour lost power because it "backed away" from further reforms.
You can read key quotes of his book here or read extracts at the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph.
Who do you think was the better prime minister? What do these revelations tell you about the Labour party and the inner workings of government? What do you think of the timing of the book's publication?
This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.


Page 1 of 11
Comment number 1.
At 08:45 1st Sep 2010, stevehello1234 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 2.
At 08:46 1st Sep 2010, stevehello1234 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 3.
At 08:47 1st Sep 2010, littletenter wrote:I imagine BLair would find anyone who didn't do as he wished and hero worship him as a saviour very maddening. He ran the whole Government in what appeared a less than consensual way. In different ways they were both bullies who thought they had god given qualities to save this country from who knows what. Brown apparently saved the woprld from fiscal melt down. I wouldn't have the patience to read it. More PR & spin. I am not a political animal.
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Comment number 4.
At 08:53 1st Sep 2010, John Sparks wrote:It tells us what we have always known - that they were more interested in fighting eachother than running this country. We had 13 years of the worst government this country has ever known and our grandchildren will still be suffering its effects. Let's just hope future generations are never stupid enough to vote for the Labour party again.
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Comment number 5.
At 08:54 1st Sep 2010, Jonathan wrote:I fail to understand whyt you are asking the question when none of us have read the book or seen the interview!
My generic view on the recent political memoirs are that they are very unlikely to be an important contribution to knowledge about the process or the personalities. There is too much money involved and too much of a temptation to get one's retaliation in first.
I feel that all politicians should be banned from publishing memoirs for at least 10 years after leaving office and that any income they derive from this be capped or taxed at a very high rate.
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Comment number 6.
At 08:54 1st Sep 2010, BBC LEFT WING BIAS OK wrote:If Tony Blair had thought, in 2007, that Gordon Brown wasn't up to the job, of Prime Minister, he should have done something about it then.
As for saying that now ..... says it all really - the camelion never changes.
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Comment number 7.
At 08:55 1st Sep 2010, Megan wrote:Absolutely nothing.
Not that I expected them to: people who write their memoirs are self-serving egotists, and reveal only what puts them in a good light. So worthless to political historians and ordinary readers alike!
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Comment number 8.
At 08:57 1st Sep 2010, ian cheese wrote:It is just not true that G. Brown, according to Blair, had Zero emotional intelligence. If that is true then Blair had 100% intelligence for dishonesty, evasion and self gratification.
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Comment number 9.
At 08:58 1st Sep 2010, Count Otto Black wrote:"Who do you think was the better prime minister?"
Tricky. Blair was the most self-serving PM I've ever seen but he was clever in the manipulative sense. I actually think Brown was a more 'genuine' individual but I'm not sure he had the smarts to be PM.
"What do these revelations tell you about the Labour party and the inner workings of government?"
Nothing we didn't already know.
"What do you think of the timing of the book's publication?"
Well you could always guarantee that Blair would put personal profit ahead of the good of the Labour party - he did that even when he was in power.
My question though is: when will Blair just go away and leave us alone? Soon I hope.
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Comment number 10.
At 08:59 1st Sep 2010, Phil wrote:Both men failed the country.
Blair entered a war without public backing, destroying the idea of democracy and revealing it for the facade that it is.
Brown helped drag the country into an economic depression with his eagerness to continue with unregulated banking. Was he a Conservative from the 80's in diguise? Because he looks like one to me, carrying on the same finacial philosphies that they brought in.
So to see Blair slag off Brown is of no surprise. They care little about anything but their own ideas of success. They don't care enough about the country to think about the people they are meant to be representing, so why would they care about eachother? Especially Blair. Still, should be a good read though.......
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Comment number 11.
At 09:00 1st Sep 2010, Slartibartfarst wrote:They were both completely awful. Blair was never a prime minister, he only acted like one. He was the Chauncey Gardiner of our political life, a fool who found himself wandering the corridors of power.
Brown was simply incapable as chancellor and prime minister and has left us with debts that out grandchildren will be struggling to pay.
Neither gave a fig about ordinary people only themselves or their pocket. We are well rid of them.
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Comment number 12.
At 09:01 1st Sep 2010, Mad Max and Satan Dog Paddy wrote:Sounds like a Harold Wilson and George Brown situation to me LOL !!!
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Comment number 13.
At 09:02 1st Sep 2010, shane wrote:if Blair had these feelngs towards Brown,, but thought he was the best out of the party,, ergo - his party was the worse thing about.
To keep his party in power is tantamount to pure ego and was nothing to do with what was best for the country.
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Comment number 14.
At 09:02 1st Sep 2010, alan_jackson wrote:Does anyone care?
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Comment number 15.
At 09:03 1st Sep 2010, jr4412 wrote:"What do Blair's memoirs tell you about Labour?"
haven't read the book but am willing to bet that it tells us more about Blair (and his delusions of grandeur) than Labour and/or factual reality.
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Comment number 16.
At 09:13 1st Sep 2010, ichabod wrote:Its 9.10am as I write this and the memoirs were published at 8am. So almost no-one can have read them yet and no informed contribution about them is possible. Yet it is a topic on HYS. I think the blanket coverage of them by the BBC however tells us what we already know about the BBC and the Labour Party - its not called the Blair Broadcasting Corporation for nothing.
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Comment number 17.
At 09:13 1st Sep 2010, Claarm wrote:Answer: They tell us very little we didn't already know!
We knew there was infighting as there is in every political party.
We knew he hated Brown and didn't want him as PM.
We knew that he still believes he was right to go into Iraq even though everyone with any sense told him not to!
We did NOT know that he 'hit the bottle' whilst in power!!
Is that slim piece of information really worth the vast amount he is being paid for this book, even if he's giving some of it away?
Ding Ding Round 2 - Brown's moneymaker to follow!
I for sure, won't be buying either. I'm bored to death with the lot of them!
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Comment number 18.
At 09:14 1st Sep 2010, Rufus McDufus wrote:One of the pundits on the Beeb this morning claimed they knew that Blair wished to sack Brown but didn't report it. Why? Were they in collusion to cover it up? It would have definitely been in the national interest and may have spared us 3 years of Brown.
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Comment number 19.
At 09:15 1st Sep 2010, david wrote:I can add nothing to what John Sparks has said in post no.4.
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Comment number 20.
At 09:15 1st Sep 2010, 1stTopic wrote:From your reports of what is in Blair’s Memoirs my conclusion is that thank goodness New Labour is no longer in power, they were more concerned about the control of people than helping them, and they broke our society in the process of achieving their ends.And that is not taking into account the disastrous war he thrust us into.
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Comment number 21.
At 09:19 1st Sep 2010, Nok wrote:What do Blair's memoirs tell you about Labour?
Only what he wants us to know.
Like Campbell and Mandelson before him, Blairs autobiography is utterly worthless when it comes to giving insight into his period in power.
Its just a 500 page advert for his own percieved brilliance.
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Comment number 22.
At 09:20 1st Sep 2010, tardigrade wrote:In twenty years time we'll all be scratching our head, trying to remember the name of the Labour Prime Minister who won the 1997 General Election.
I'll wager, for any number of reasons, that no one will have the slightest problem in remembering Margaret Thatcher.
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Comment number 23.
At 09:20 1st Sep 2010, jerry wrote:How can this so called man make a remark about Brown being difficult. He was best friends with the idiot of idiots, Bush. I am British and American, I was fortunate to get work in England just when the idiot who was never elected took over.
Blair and Bush are responsble for more deaths then Sadam ever was able to achieve. If you must read this book wait till its in the library getting dust on a shelf.
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Comment number 24.
At 09:20 1st Sep 2010, smilingparrotfan wrote:I assume everyone making a comment has read the book? Well, I haven't so can't really say. I think this question jumps the gun.
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Comment number 25.
At 09:22 1st Sep 2010, ClaudeBalls wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 26.
At 09:24 1st Sep 2010, Barry Scott wrote:Tony Blair was a good Labour Leader, and he went in to Iraq because he believed it was the right thing, how can we condenm him for doing what most of the people in Iraq ask for.
He should never handed over the baton to Gordon Brown, we only see and hear what is in the news, would this recession be here if he stayed on a big YES !!!.
There are man hiding behind big ivory towers both in the states and europe, who bet on the out come and won when everyone elce lost.
WE CAN NOT BLAME THE LEADERS OF THIS COUNTRY, WHAT EVER AND WHO EVER WE VOTE FOR, AND WAS IN POWER THE END WOULD BE THE SAME
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Comment number 27.
At 09:24 1st Sep 2010, Peter_Sym wrote:Dead easy to summarise from what I've heard:
Saint Tony agonised about all the hard decisions he had to make but ultimately he has no regrets because he knows he right. However evil Gordon bullied him and stole all his best ideas and its all bad, evil Gordon's fault that everything went wrong.... and it was just coincidence that Blair quit and took a massively paying bank consultancy job days before the credit crunch flopped into Browns lap.
There... saved you all 700 pages.
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Comment number 28.
At 09:27 1st Sep 2010, Peter_Sym wrote:"1. At 08:45am on 01 Sep 2010, stevehello1234 wrote:
They tell me he's a mass murderer who has got away with it because he won"
However unlike Saddam he never PERSONALLY blew someone's brains across the room. The way some of you talk you'd think Saddam was a perfect ruler rather than a madman who killed a million of his own people.
Likewise I'd love to know how Al Queda blowing up a load of Shi'ite schoolkids is in anyway justified or Blairs fault? The vast majority of deaths in Iraq were carried out by Arab's.
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Comment number 29.
At 09:28 1st Sep 2010, thelevellers wrote:They tell us what a great leader he was, afterall he was the man who got rid of the tories and gave all of us hope. The prosperity this country has seen in the last thirteen years has been his greatest legacy and for which we all are grateful.
He has made mistakes as all of us have and has been noble enough to admit to them.
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Comment number 30.
At 09:29 1st Sep 2010, TerryXT wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 31.
At 09:30 1st Sep 2010, DavidHankey wrote:Blair will tell us and continue to tell us that HE did no wrong and if he had his time over again he would change nothing.
For a person to take up the Office of Prime Minister knowing that from Day One he only wanted the job for 10 years says it all. He and Brown will go down in UK political history of probably being the two worst PMs this nation has ever had.
All that needs to happen now is that 'Lord Smarn of Sedgefield' will be offered and take a seat in the Upper House, ironically,a place he tried so desparately to destroy whilst in Office.
Why can't these ill-logical politicans just go out like a lamb?
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Comment number 32.
At 09:31 1st Sep 2010, The Bloke wrote:What could they tell us? We haven't had chance to read them yet.
The coverage of them tells me that there are huge problems around political journalism.
The real legacy of the Blair/Brown years is
- out of control immigration
- a run-down manufacturing sector
- much talk, but little action, on the environment
- an economic crisis brought on by over-reliance on the City
- a bloated, inefficient, public sector
- a mixed bag on education, some clear progress, but huge issues around grade inflation and the expansion of the university sector
- some good work done on investing in infrastructure and healthcare, but overshadowed by waste.
These are the things which affect voters, and decide elections. But they're not the things that interest the likes of Nick Robinson and Andrew Marr.
And, as BBC journos are prone to say, let's not forget (i.e. as clever people like me knw) the BBC got its coverage of Blair's demise MASSIVELY WRONG. He won the election he was supposed to lose over Iraq, because the general public DIDN'T CARE!!!!
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Comment number 33.
At 09:31 1st Sep 2010, Confuciousfred wrote:Certainly will not buy the book, I don't like fiction. Eleven years with Blair as our PM told me enough. If Blair was certain that Brown would make a bad PM, why recommend him as his successor.
No doubt he was weak, he has no remorse for the 100,000s who died because he took us to war in Iraq, and he has no conscience about the legacy he has left for the future of Iraq. I would be interested to know what he has written about Dr Mowlam bringing about peace in Northern Ireland.
For my part, all I can say is that I never voted for him or supported him in anything he did. To me he has always been a man without substance, without ideological roots, who prevailed wrapped in a cloak of self-righteousness.
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Comment number 34.
At 09:31 1st Sep 2010, John G Coleman wrote:Go to Have your say titled "Was the Iraq War worth it" and look at item Number 262 and you have my answer. To add to it I would like to say they hung Saddam because he committed those horrendous crimes against humanity,what about the other thousands of civilians and others who have been killed in Iraq because of the "Illegal" war.This question must be answered.
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Comment number 35.
At 09:32 1st Sep 2010, V Siva wrote:Blair says that he takes responsibility for invading Iraq.
If Britain is truely democratic and no one can be above the Law, Balir should be in jail now. This is DISGRACE!
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Comment number 36.
At 09:35 1st Sep 2010, Sat_tire wrote:They show a man who has never done anything wrong in his life.
Is he the actual messiah?
No just a man who took a fantastic place to live and ruined it in 10 years. I see little difference between him, Saddam Hussain and Robert Mugabe really. They were always right.
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Comment number 37.
At 09:36 1st Sep 2010, Confuciousfred wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 38.
At 09:37 1st Sep 2010, leslog wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 39.
At 09:37 1st Sep 2010, Will wrote:What is the real story here? Why not headline this story 'Tony Blair says Brown was strong, capable and brilliant?'
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Comment number 40.
At 09:37 1st Sep 2010, Daisy Chained wrote:Memoirs?
Isn't a work of fiction called a 'novel'?
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Comment number 41.
At 09:38 1st Sep 2010, TheWalrus999 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 42.
At 09:38 1st Sep 2010, Prymuz wrote:No wonder we are in a complete mess - Bliar and Broon focused more on tearing strips of each other than tending for the country.
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Comment number 43.
At 09:38 1st Sep 2010, EnochS wrote:I cannot believe that Tony Blair still considers Gordon Brown a good Chancellor, in the light of the current bankrupt, or nearly, state of the UK. It just goes to show what type of man he is. Of course, if you are so wealthy, then the extreme financial hardship we all face would be of no interest to him.
TB's views on Iraq are incomprehensible, that he does not view the calamitous outcome and all the deaths and still continuing bombings as a deep failure is a disgrace, an ill-judged action in the extreme. I still believe that Blair should be brought before a war crimes tribunal but we all know that will never happen, but it would be fun to see the smile taken off his face, if only briefly.
His views are the only views he wishes to entertain, and everyone else is wrong. His stubborn refusal to really understand how New Labour virtually destroyed the democratic structure of this country displays an extra-ordinary arrogance.
Lastly, with all the in-fighting that was carrying on within the Labour Party for such a long period, it is no wonder that government was so mismanaged and policies introduced without careful planning. TB mentions fox-hunting, but there was endless legislation that has created problems for so many. TB still does not appreciate why so many people were against ID cards, another example of his shallow thinking.
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Comment number 44.
At 09:39 1st Sep 2010, steve wrote:As they were only published this morning I am amazed that all the predictable Blairhaters already know all the contents and that it supports their own bigoted beliefs.
Tony Blair ,like Margaret Thatcher will be seen by history as two of the most significant political leaders in the UK in the last century,both took us into a war that could be avoided ,both transformed their political parties and both were conviction politicians and both were followed by PM's who historically speaking will be footnotes on page 167!
As can be expected they were also probably the most divisive PM's this country has seen.
Blair's accomplishments on the international scene in Former Yugoslavia,Ireland and yes probably Afghanistan need to be acknowledged,the NHS is by far a better service in this country saving tens of thousands of people from premature death primarily because of Blair's convictions.
The UK experienced an unparalleled period of growth under Blair's stewardship which saw us move from 11th in the list of richest economies to 4th.
Not a bad legacy overall.
Before the Blair Haters leap on the economic problems can I point out.
The issues relating to debt were as everyone really knows caused by international incompetence by bankers and as everyone really knows the incoming government would not have been proposing the current swinging cuts in public services if it hadn't been for the £850 billion of public money it took to bail out this bunch of incompetent multimillionaire bankers.
In 2007 (when Blair left office) it was Tory Policy to only slow down the growth of the public sector not cut it by 25%
Lib Dem Policy was to continue at the same growth rate.
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Comment number 45.
At 09:39 1st Sep 2010, Lynn from Sussex wrote:Selfish, greedy, narcissitic, ignorant as is made clear by his comments about the Hunting Ban and also Iraq.
His promise to donate the royalties to the RBL is conscience money and a mere drop in the ocean of his overall obscene amount of wealth.
He and Brown ensured that the country ended up virtually ruined, they simply outclassed any former Labour administrations with their policies.
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Comment number 46.
At 09:39 1st Sep 2010, RYGnotB wrote:I'm not sure the timing will have much impact on the Labour leadership: the party seems to have moved on, or certainly seems to want to move on.
As for the relationship with Brown: I'd much rather two people in charge who challenged each other rather than some privileged toff with a sycophantic lap dog.
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Comment number 47.
At 09:39 1st Sep 2010, wvpTV wrote:It's the ancient art of trying to re-write history.
Government does it all the time, "head in the sand" is one of our major problems.
Yes Gordon came over as an "idiot" who thought every one else was.
However the entire government machine has been very poor over the last decade, in effect accelerating the decline of the UK and treating the ethnic British badly.
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Comment number 48.
At 09:39 1st Sep 2010, whowrotethis wrote:This book was officially launched about 90 minutes ago. Unless someone has obtained a copy, not an excerpt, read it, digested its contents, placed it into context with historical events of the time, considered other important figures, Bush, Yeltsin etc, then I perceive this thread to be a tad premature. But that is 24 hour news for you.
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Comment number 49.
At 09:40 1st Sep 2010, Antony Forst wrote:Nothing surprises me what will come out from Blair now. It shows how false he was in not getting behind Gordon Brown once he himself went. He is a two faced liar, whom we are much better without. Look at the mess still left behind from when he was at the helm, that we are still correcting. I may borrow his book from the library, but'll never buy it.
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Comment number 50.
At 09:41 1st Sep 2010, Magi Tatcher wrote:Tony Blair’s great legacy has been to achieve Margaret Thatcher’s ambition.
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Comment number 51.
At 09:43 1st Sep 2010, Harald wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 52.
At 09:44 1st Sep 2010, Phil wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 53.
At 09:45 1st Sep 2010, Robin wrote:From what I have heard on the BBC it tells me he is too proud to admit his mistakes. It is no good crying crocodile tears about the people who died in Iraq when he was the one who caused it. There would be nowhere near as many deaths today in Afghanistan today if troops had not been diverted to Iraq at the critical time when they should have been consolidating their partial victory.
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Comment number 54.
At 09:45 1st Sep 2010, Kevin Yates wrote:I also turned to alcohol when Blair was Priminister, I almost turned to God when Brown was, but then realised it was proof if ever it was needed that we truly are alone in the universe.
The same plethora of books appeared when the Tories were finally brought to their knees by the electorate.
If Blair's book is called "The Journey", will Nick Clegg's be called "Short trip to the Post Office"
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Comment number 55.
At 09:46 1st Sep 2010, Harald wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 56.
At 09:47 1st Sep 2010, Hastings wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 57.
At 09:48 1st Sep 2010, Sat_tire wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 58.
At 09:50 1st Sep 2010, 1978 Shoot league ladders wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 59.
At 09:50 1st Sep 2010, Phil wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 60.
At 09:50 1st Sep 2010, MrWonderfulReality wrote:Basically that he is an idealistic muppet who bases his ideals on fantasy/mystical/supernatural theological religious beliefs which refute/reject so much truth/fact/reality/common sense/science, basically and especially religious fantasy beliefs which are NOT much different to Camerons.
Hence the tirade of religious dictate continues.
Ever wonder why the world, or even just UK is in such a mess, maybe politicians believing in fantasy/mystical/supernatural planet forming superbeings may have something to do with it!!!
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Comment number 61.
At 09:51 1st Sep 2010, Dr_Max wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 62.
At 09:52 1st Sep 2010, V Siva wrote:Before Blair cast comments about others including Gordon Brown, he should sit back and review his decisions including invading Iraq.
Blair has not only tarnished the credibility of the UK but also ruined Iraq and its people.
Blair should have solved the Tamil ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka as Britain has a moral responsibility to bring justice and peace to the Tamils as the British made mockery in handing over the political power at the hands of the Aparthied Sinhalese Buddhists instead separating Eelam like Pakistan was separated from India.
Both Sri Lanka and Iraq were ruined due to politicians like Blair.
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Comment number 63.
At 09:53 1st Sep 2010, alan surman wrote:so blair didnt think much of brown but he let brown take over as pm as far as i am concerned blair is contemptable and should not be given any publicity in this country
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Comment number 64.
At 09:53 1st Sep 2010, Trainee Anarchist wrote:I don't need to read the book when I have seen the reality.
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Comment number 65.
At 09:54 1st Sep 2010, Johnnybgood wrote:BBC HYS. I think you should have waited untill people of the UK had watched the full interview and/or read the book.
Your question is premature at the least.
It invites comments which can not be taken seriously in any form whatsoever.
Most of the comments are an attack on TB and Labour and have little to do with the premature question.
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Comment number 66.
At 09:56 1st Sep 2010, Nik wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 67.
At 09:57 1st Sep 2010, Sat_tire wrote:Tony has written a book
About his time as PM
How many will have a look
Reading it will make you sleep in the AM
Education, Education, Education
Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime
24 hours to save the NHS
These were some of his lies
The fee is going to charity
So now charity is more blighted than before
He writes with clarity
But through rose tinted liars glasses
Brown lacks emotional intelligence
What the hell is that
Maybe he could act as a consultant on that
And make a few million more
Poor prose I know, but then I am not the Poet Laureute (Yet)
Blaire dumbed down our education system, so perhaps the next Poet Laureute should be the poorest writer of prose and not the best.
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Comment number 68.
At 09:58 1st Sep 2010, Harald wrote:It is instructive to know it "breaks the House Rules" if one ironizes over the following:
"unlike Saddam he(Blair) never PERSONALLY blew someone's brains across the room"
This must needs mean that the Moderators think the quoted view relevant!
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Comment number 69.
At 09:59 1st Sep 2010, Pragmale wrote:BROWN MADDENING
BLAIR MAD!
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Comment number 70.
At 09:59 1st Sep 2010, Truestone wrote:We all wish the circumstances that Blair created for himself by his own lack of emotional intelligence were different. It's a bit ripe that now that a potential war criminal should pilfer his memories and offer then up for us to swallow. When Blair talks of the attack on 'our values' as the 9/11 attacks seemed to be, was he referring to the following:
Education
- middle-class 'choice' as a form of universal equality? (we all know life's unfair Blair, but to legislate it?)
- embedding of faith schools in the educational system subverting true meritocacy and making monsters of aspirant parents who really cant afford to send their kids to the private school of choice
War
The results speak for themselves. Saying he did what he thought was right flies in the face of the emotional intelligence of 100,000 people who marched before the Iraq invasion.
Society
The gap between richest and poorest grew. Cant blame Brown. Blair's own actions are that of a rapacious banker.
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Comment number 71.
At 09:59 1st Sep 2010, Often Rejected wrote:Bliar's novel, oops, Memoirs, will tell me nothing I don't already know about New Labour ... nothing.
He is a dissembler who, in his Messianic method, actually believes what he says (maybe). He is an actor and always has been. He showed his true self when reading at Diana, Princess of Wales' funeral ... there was not one ounce of sincerity in the man.
Even if he is seen by history to have been right in some areas these will have been accidental; he remains an actor whose depths of deception and self-deception know no bounds.
He is the true lap-dog, wanting always to please the last person he meets. The Tories were lambasted at the time for producing posters of Bliar with evil red eyes ... how right they were!
This country lost, during Bliar's time, more freedoms than ever before. He got rid of the basis of Magna Carta, made the country unsafe and has bloodied hands. He remains the enemy of freedom and, if I am to avoid the Moderators' ire, I had better stop!
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Comment number 72.
At 09:59 1st Sep 2010, tardegrade wrote:"Tony Blair has revealed in his memoirs the inner workings of his relationship with Gordon Brown wh...", blah blah blah, and this is headline news why exactly?
Stop promoting book sales.
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Comment number 73.
At 10:00 1st Sep 2010, Sat_tire wrote:So Gordon Gimmick lacked emotional intelligence, a touchy feely concept of basically telling lies because you trying to tell people what they want to hear rather than the truth.
Its better to lack something irrelevant than to have have no morals, no conscience and lie to get what you want (45 minutes, education education, eduction, 24 hours to save the NHS, Tough on crime and I could go on and on and on) and to leave a man so exposed in David Kelly that he took his own life.
I remember going to see the unveiling of Nelson Mandela's statue in Parliament Square. I am no fan of Gordon Brown, but came aware from the day thinking that he was a genuine man and a real statesman. If it was Blair there he would have hijacked proceedings for his own vain reasons. He did the same thing at Diana's funeral and tried to when the Queen mum died.
I feel sorry for anyone who has the surname Blair, Imagine people thinking you related to a man whose decisions have seen thousands die because he was too weak to say no to Dubya.
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Comment number 74.
At 10:01 1st Sep 2010, FrankandTomsDad wrote:Go thelevellers @ 29, I echo those sentiments.
However, there seems to be quite a lot of diatribe considering hardly any of the contributors have read the book, and you won't, due to prejudice, whether it's truth or spin.
Do you all really think that any of the current crop are any different?
I was very disappointed with Blair and Brown because they could have done a lot better and done things differently, but they are and always will be, a lesser of the evils.
I'd have them back in a blink and do it all again rather than wait for the inevitable sorry state that we'll be in when the tories have sold the remainder of the country to the rest of the world.
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Comment number 75.
At 10:03 1st Sep 2010, Kieran wrote:I am not surprised Blair, Brown and all the rest denied their relationship was poor, but it still grates when said suggestions about the relationship - which according to Blair was even more acrimonious than suspected - were met with bald faced lies. It's understandable why they denied it; it made them look divided. As sure I am that politicians as a group would act the same, it still worries me when they can lie about one thing and be shocked - shocked I say - when people query their sincerity on other matters. A similar situation is occuring right now with new Labour leadership candidates denying or acting as though they were not right at the heart of things for years, or disagreed with them strenuously, but said nothing at the time (again, I doubt another party would be different, they're just more relevant at the moment).
As dull and self serving as memoirs generally are, I do look forward to what Brown has to say, as Blairites have always seemed louder in my experience.
I do wonder though if Labour supporters are at all worried the current contest might lead to a similar arrangement, with a leader and a powerful defeated opponent who he dislikes and disagrees with on fundamental issues(despite apparent brilliance on other matters), who he wants to sack, but cannot get rid of because of internal party support? It reminds of the quote from the documentary regarding the Coalition talks that David Cameron was more Napoleonic. Now that carries significant negative connontations, but it apparently meant you could deal with him and trust he could carry his party with him. With Blair and Brown you could not say that with certainty, and will that be the case with the next leader, and will that be a problem or not?
Obviously I have to rely on reports of the book (unfair I know, but I cannot bring myself to spend money on boring, self serving poltical memoirs; it's a trade off of first hand experience and sanity) but I am a little surprised at some of nastier claims. And the drink one too actually
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What is the real story here? Why not headline this story 'Tony Blair says Brown was strong, capable and brilliant?'
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Because that is the sort of thing we have heard for years, and as true as it might be that he regarded him so, the bit that was only confirmed for the first time by Blair, and is as such the 'news' bit, is that concerning the serious problems they had together.
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Comment number 76.
At 10:04 1st Sep 2010, Simon Tan wrote:Blair blames Brown for the economy. How much money has Iraq cost the UK? Were we not there we might be in better shape. Blair can't accept that his judgement was flawed and that his time is over. So he ignores the damage the timing of publication will do to the Party which made him. He decides to donate the advance and any proceeds once he has made a good few millions (and learnt about tax avoidance)but makes sure the gesture is publicised. Brown had faults but history will be kinder to him than Blair. Both will end up as footnotes. Don't but this straw man's book. Make him pay tax instead.
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Comment number 77.
At 10:05 1st Sep 2010, Lord Rant wrote:Well Blair's book and time in office ,
was a REAL -EDUCATION! EDUCATION! EDUCATION !
Let the people of this country Never forget the lesson of New Labour
With regards to Blair's book ,the title should be
ME! ME! ME!
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Comment number 78.
At 10:05 1st Sep 2010, EnglishandProud wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 79.
At 10:06 1st Sep 2010, seymour sheep wrote:Please, please, please Mr Blair - go away and stay away! There are many of us who resent the fact that you lied to us whilst feathering your own nest - please don't think that a "charitable" gesture will change how we feel about you (and your millions!) and what you did to our country.
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Comment number 80.
At 10:06 1st Sep 2010, oldscruff wrote:I said 10 years ago, Mr. Bliar, behaved as if he truly thought he was the president of a republic,
He had no sense of duty or loyalty to parliament, to the position of prime minister. the man was a compelte fraud and self obsessed.
And now he wants to be a celebrity, Oh poor me I had a drink problem, what next Tony gonna go to rehab, I say no, no , no.
so in that sense GB was a better prime minister, the fact that he was a shockingly poor prime minister is nothing to do with it.
This whole sorry episode tells you all tyou need to know about new labour, self obsessed bunch of control freaks with an agenda that essentially wrecked our nation, well he did keep on promise did princess tony, he did smash the forces of conservatism, the tory party no longer exists, our armed forces have been decimated, all our instituations ripped up, and our new government truly is the heir to bliar, worried, you should be, that is tony's legacy.
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Comment number 81.
At 10:06 1st Sep 2010, SimpleOldSailor wrote:Wow what a big ego and this is the man who with the connivance of American politicians in the "British American Project" set about the destruction of the old social democratic Labour Party and the creation of NuLabour which they then foisted upon the British people with disastrous consequences for not only Britain but also the world at large.
What next does he expect next, to be nominated for beatification and sainthood?
I rate him alongside Bob Maxwell who bought his burial site with the Mirror pensioners money.
in reality Blair has already bought his place in the history books with war, blood, death and destruction.
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Comment number 82.
At 10:06 1st Sep 2010, Mrs Vee wrote:Tony Blair? Oh yes, I remember him....he used to be somebody and now he's a nobody with a book to plug.
Blair? Brown? Both of them complete disasters and about as much use as a third leg.
It's sickening the way the BBC is still all over Blair like a rash; you’d think someone at the Corporation would have noticed by now that he’s no longer Prime Minister.
In answer to the question...Blair's book will tell me nothing because I won't be reading it.
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Comment number 83.
At 10:07 1st Sep 2010, Italophile wrote:"What do Blair's memoirs tell you about Labour?"
Personally, as I've not read them, they tell me nothing.
However, as for the short snippets I've gleaned from the news:
Not surprised at his opinions on Broonie. Situation may have been even worse that most of us suspected, but I'm not surprised.
Iraq war. His lack of repentance also does not surprise me. Sickens me - but doesn't surprise me. There was far too much "I believe" from Blair when he was PM. I prefer my politicians to 'believe' in their broad party dogma and stick to that line when they're at work. It's fairly obvious that Blair was/is a god botherer in a big way (also obvious that he - dishonestly - did his level best to hide this little fact from the electorate until almost the very end of his time as PM).
On the New Labour project. So far, this is about the only thing I agree with him about. If Labour wants to avoid a repeat of the 1980's, early 90's situation - i.e., a long spell in the political wilderness, they need to stay firmly 'New'. Any move to the left will scupper them. However, if, like myself, you're a Conservative voter, you'll be hoping that anyone but David Milliband wins the leadership contest. Preferably Diane Abbot as she truly represents the Loony Left!!!!! But any of the others will do just as well.
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Comment number 84.
At 10:08 1st Sep 2010, HonestMP wrote:When Tatcher said "We're All Conservatives Now"
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Comment number 85.
At 10:09 1st Sep 2010, MrWonderfulReality wrote:It just shows that low life double crossing snitch bitching scumbags are as much a part in the political corridors of power, as they are on smackhead drug infested streets in any rough part of Britain.
In politics, its very profitable to grass up/blab about personal relationships and all & sundry.
Funny isnt it, that so much of HUGE IMPORTANCE of Blairs time in office, is hidden away for 30/50/70 years in secret, yet he and the likes of Meddlesome Mandleson can trash whatever and whoever they like in public for personal gain within a spit of time from losing their position in office.
Funny how these people NEVER stand up and talk about such matters when it counts, when they are supposidly running our country with its BEST INTERESTS foremost, so they tell us, but as soon as they are out of office they toss away any and all fabric of pretentious loyalty like some peeled banana skin, but first, they do so with legal experts to help them not implicate themselves in any possible legal retribution.
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Comment number 86.
At 10:09 1st Sep 2010, SteveB wrote:Do I buy the book because I want to read Tony Blair's memoirs or do I buy the book so that the profit will go to the British Legion? - Neither, just give the whole cost of the book personally to the British Legion. I suggest everyone does the same.
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Comment number 87.
At 10:11 1st Sep 2010, anotherfakename wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 88.
At 10:11 1st Sep 2010, TootingBull wrote:When Mr Blair came into power I remember feeling full of optimism and looking forward to a brighter future. Now I just wish he would shuffle off to the lecture circuit so he can continue to exploit the opportunities that we, the British electorate, granted him.
Obviously have not read the book but did read a brilliant biography by Anthony Seldon that told me all I needed to know. The blanket coverage seems to have brought nothing new apart from regret about banning fox hunting (those Labour values instilled at birth must be hard to get rid of after all)
Shall be intrigued to see how many actually buy the book. It is being published by someone he made a Dame (a personal friend) so am sure the kitchen sink will be thrown behind it.
TB
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Comment number 89.
At 10:12 1st Sep 2010, HonestMP wrote:No 2 remember the American sub prime borrowing was the start of the world latest problems and maybe we should use their compensation culture to pursue them in through the worlds courts
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Comment number 90.
At 10:15 1st Sep 2010, Daniel wrote:Oh do be quiet Tony, you are yesterdays news.
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Comment number 91.
At 10:16 1st Sep 2010, David wrote:The revelations about Gordon Brown tell us that we need a complete revue of how our leaders are chosen. Many of the professional political class are unprepared for running even a whelk stall let alone a country.
I include many of the current government and the opposition.One pre requisite needs to be that candidates have held at least an executive dirctors position, in a successful company.
A lot of these people have come straight out of University and into a junior researchers position, then become an MP. They are in NO way ready to govern. The damage done to our country by the incompetance of some ministers is appalling.
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Comment number 92.
At 10:17 1st Sep 2010, Peter_Sym wrote:"35. At 09:32am on 01 Sep 2010, V Siva wrote:
Blair says that he takes responsibility for invading Iraq.
If Britain is truely democratic and no one can be above the Law, Balir should be in jail now. This is DISGRACE!"
Firstly Britain isn't truly democractic- we have an unelected head of state and unelected upper house and the lower house is elected using a rather dodgy first past the post system.
HOWEVER what law would you jail Tony under? 'True Democracies' don't jail people simply because you don't like them. Its also worth remembering that almost all of the labour party AND tories (including Cameron) voted to invade Iraq. Its not like 'call me Dave' is innocent either much as he pretends otherwise.
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Comment number 93.
At 10:18 1st Sep 2010, Peter_Sym wrote:68. At 09:58am on 01 Sep 2010, Harald wrote:
It is instructive to know it "breaks the House Rules" if one ironizes over the following:
"unlike Saddam he(Blair) never PERSONALLY blew someone's brains across the room"
This must needs mean that the Moderators think the quoted view relevant!
Because its true. In a cabinet meeting Saddam shot one of his generals. Blair never shot anyone personally. I get sick of idiot Brits making Saddam out to be some sort of hero.
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Comment number 94.
At 10:21 1st Sep 2010, pzero wrote:That Bliar is still a warmongering idiot with his comments on Iran.
His crocodile tears for the debacle of Iraq isnt fooling anyone, so much for lessons learnt......
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Comment number 95.
At 10:22 1st Sep 2010, D wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 96.
At 10:23 1st Sep 2010, Phillip of England wrote:What do Blair's memoirs tell you?
Nothing i didn't know already. What a truly repugnant little man.
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Comment number 97.
At 10:25 1st Sep 2010, pzero wrote:9. At 08:58am on 01 Sep 2010, Count Otto Black wrote:
My question though is: when will Blair just go away and leave us alone? Soon I hope.
So well said it is worth repeating!
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Comment number 98.
At 10:26 1st Sep 2010, KarenZ wrote:Nothing - I do not plan to read his memoirs or any other memoirs from NuLiebour.
They cost me and the country too much while in office and I do not want to hear pseudo justification for the worst governement we have seen in this country ever.
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Comment number 99.
At 10:27 1st Sep 2010, R3wko wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 100.
At 10:29 1st Sep 2010, D wrote:Blair needs to hand himself in at the Hague and blow the whislte on those yank murderers! he may actually show he is human, and not the devil!
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