What must it be like to be Theresa May?

First of all, I'd like to say that I like her and I welcome her appointment as Prime Minister  She has just made a striking statement of bold intent with a strong emphasis on social justice. She spoke of how if you're black, you are treated more harshly by the criminal justice system. She mentioned that if you're a white working class boy, you are much less likely to go to university than anyone else in the country. She relayed how if you are poor you will, on average, die almost a decade before those who are wealthy. 

As Laura Kuensberg, BBC political editor herself said, May's words were more reminiscent of  another political party - The Labour Party, of which I am a member. (Sort yourselves out, comrades!)

The last two and a half weeks have been dramatic in political terms: the EU referendum, the challenge to the Labour Party Leadership, the resignation of David Cameron, the stepping down of Angela Leadsom. the surprise disappearance of Boris Johnson because of the shocking back stabbing by Michael Gove of Boris Johnson. What price loyalty?

So what must it be like to be Theresa May right now? And what must it be like to be her husband, Philip? Theresa first - my question is, how does she feel about it all? I have no doubt that she is fully capable of being Prime Minister, but she must feel a degree of excitement, but perhaps also she is feeling overwhelmed. She has the top job in Britain. Being Home Secretary for six years is impressive on anyone's CV. But the job of  PM has no superior. Has she wanted this job for a while? Was she watching and waiting? When the chance came, did she think she could triumph against Boris Johnson, who, up until very recently, was the favourite to succeed Cameron? How could she have foretold the events of the leadership race? And if Andrea Leadsom had not made her ignorant and insensitive comment about Theresa May not having children and therefore  not having a stake in the future, Theresa's appointment may not have happened.

 The speed of her move from one job to another has also been dramatic. As far as I can see, she is managing it all with calm and good grace. What she is saying to her husband in private may well be very  different.

Just a word about David Cameron, who left office before he was really ready. He was confident that the nation would vote to remain in the EU, but, that people voted to leave, may be a sign of how out of touch Cameron was.

As he left Downing Street, just as Gordon Brown before him, 'nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it.' * We saw both David Cameron and Gordon Brown, with their wives and children, appearing relaxed and possibly a little relieved. But more than anything, they appeared fallible and decidedly human.

*from Macbeth

Tony Blair - a Broken Man?

Tony Blair told the truth. There was no attempt to deceive. 'Please stop saying that I lied.' He asked of his audience and of the nation as he faced reporters today.

Finally, after seven long years, the Chilcot report has been published. It is unforgiving in its criticism of decisions made and actions taken, but it categorically states that Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, the winner of three consecutive election victories for Labour, something no other Labour Prime Minister has ever achieved, did not lie.

I am really pleased that Sir John Chilcot found Blair not to have lied. Ever since the accusation that Blair was lying in order to secure military action against Iraq, I have never believed it. Yes, in my view, the invasion was a mistake, but hindsight is a glorious thing. It saddens me that so many Labour supporters chose to believe that Blair was lying and that they were so quick to sneer and condemn. Why were they so willing to believe he lied? Was it that they were eager to believe he lied because that way further ignominy would rain on Blair's head? I think that was the case. Damn him and damn him again. He was their quarry and they would take him down. An unpleasant trait of human nature if ever there was one.

In May 1997, Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister after eighteen long years of Tory governments. Neil Kinnock nearly did it in 1992, but we had to wait five long years before Blair finally did it for Labour. I was absolutely delighted. He grasped the nettle and changes for the better were effected in health and education. Who can forget Blair's, 'My three main priorities for government are education, education, education?'

It is undeniable that Blair did good work. This must not be forgotten. But sadly, I believe that it will be and that Blair will be remembered for his ill-conceived invasion of Iraq. 'Shock and awe' filled our screens as Iraq was hit in such dramatic and monstrous fashion. Did anyone else feel that this show of military might was just too much and that humility was sadly lacking? Should humility have been a part of it though? Was the aim not just to finish off Saddam Hussein and his torturing sons once and for all? Or should the civilians, who were undoubtedly killed, have been given greater consideration? Of course, history will be the judge of that as it will be the judge of us all, including Tony Blair. As he said, 'I express more regret and sorrow than you can believe.' And, 'There will not be a day in my life when I do not relive and rethink what happened.'

Today, Tony Blair appeared as a broken man. In such nerve shattering circumstances, all Tony Blair's wealth, for which he has been roundly criticised, is of no help at all. From this, money is no saviour. 

What was particularly striking was the fact that Blair was more than generous in the number of questions he allowed, some of which were harsh and probing. Admirably, Blair never faltered. He gave the truth, his truth and that is all any of us can ever do. 




 

Post Referendum Reflections

This last fortnight has seen  the greatest political  upheaval of perhaps the last half century. The referendum dominated politics for weeks before it took place and it was as if there was no other news apart from  the  latest on the shenanigans of the Leave or the Remain side.

But now - what a mess! The Tories are voting in a new leader, a new Prime Minister, in fact and at the moment it looks as if either Theresa May or Andrea Leadsom will be that new Prime Minister. That all seems quite straightforward, especially in comparison to the hideous behaviour of some Tories.

Boris Johnson, ex-mayor of London, bagged himself a safe Tory seat last year. Then he launched his bid to become Prime Minister, which had always been his ambition. When Boris emerged as lead Leave campaigner, some say that he was going against his natural inclination. Up until this point it seems that Boris was wholly for remaining in the EU. In order to become Prime Minister though, he had to unseat Cameron, which he succeeded in doing by fronting the Leave campaign and leading the campaign to victory. And then, in a move straight from Shakespearian drama,  Michael Gove, the good friend of Boris for two decades, raised his dagger and stabbed Boris in the back. All of a sudden, Michael Gove, who had stood with Boris throughout the Leave campaign, had decided that Boris was not good enough to be PM. Naturally, he made a fuss, talking about how hard he had thought abourt his decision to stand, but I am most certain that Gove, despite his public denials, was encouraged by his wife, Sarah Vine, to stand. It pleases me that it seems most unlikely that Michael Gove will be Prime Minister. After all, who could trust such a man?

The Labour Party has considerable problems too. Today, Jeremy Corbyn has turned to social media to plead with Labour Party members to 'Come together.' By that I believe he means to stop the attempt to depose him and have a leadership contest. People say that Jeremy Corbyn cannot win a General Election and that he was too feeble in his support for the Remain campaign. As many as 25 MPs have resigned their posts in the shadow cabinet. In a vote of no confidence there are 170 memebrs against him and just forty for him. Ironically, people, especially young people, are joining the party in droves to support him, in the event of a leadership challenge, which he will more than likely win - again.


Of course, those MPs who say that  they believe Corbyn cannot win an election may have forgotten that Neil Kinnock, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband did not win an election either. Tony Blair did win - three consecutive elections, as it happens, yet everyone hates him. Such short memories.

And then there are the demonsrations to stay in the EU by people who cannot accept the democratic vote. Yes it was close and yes, I did vote to remain, but the result was clear. That said, it may well be the case that in the end we do not leave, as a referendum is not legally binding. However, imagine the anger. There would be some quite intense demonstrations and protests if Parliament did decide that it was not in the national interest to leave the EU, and in fact we did not leave.

It seems that at this juncture there is much more to come and as yet, there is no fat lady anywhere that is even contemplating bursting into song.