Tony Blair's Stand Down Speech

[Dynasty]

Just watched it live on TV. Possibly one of the biggest turning points in English politics and history???

Tony Blair is stepping down as Prime Minister of the UK at the end of June. This surely opens the door for Gordon Brown to step up as Prime Minister.

Cant help thinking this country will somehow go rock bottom after a few years of fake smiles and big+fake promises from the new PM...

Any thoughts?

'I wish you good luck'...

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

 

[Jintor]

Yep.

 

[repiV]

if it was not for his disastrous decision to hitch his wagon to american war making, he might have been remembered as one of the best PMs ever

How? The only people who would remember him as even a competent PM, let alone one of the best ever, are people too ignorant to look beyond the spin and bullshit.

He's an absolute and total disaster. He hasn't done a single good thing for this country. Ever. In fact, he's positively thrown it to the dogs. Iraq is absolutely trivial in his long list of total ****ups.

Thanks to New Labour,

We have serious problems with law and order in society.

Real criminals are treated with kid gloves, while law-abiding citizens are regularly persecuted.

Our education system is becoming ever more of a travesty.

The family as an institution is in crisis, and we see the result in the ever-growing underclass.

The only way to solve problems is to throw more legislation at them - which never solves anything, but serves only to restrict our freedom and insult our intelligence.

Pandering to minorities and pressure groups with inane, hypocritical and dangerous ideas is more important than doing the right thing.

Slackers and scumbags are rewarded while true contributors to society are punished for their success.

Our quality of life is falling ever further behind other first-world nations.

We are now a nanny state, where government always knows what's best for you and people have their individual responsibilities as well as rights taken away one by one.

We have become the most spied on nation in the world, and are rapidly becoming a police state.

The heart of British culture and identity is being ripped to shreds by uncontrolled immigration, multiculturalism and political correctness.

We have had to endure a decade of an authoritarian government that doesn't listen to the people and just does what it wants anyway.

The Union has been completely undermined.

Common sense has been replaced by Blairite talking points, and facts are manipulated to support policies rather than the other way around.

The entire face, identity and culture of Britain has been irrevocably altered resulting in more segregation, discontent and violence than ever before through social engineering which nobody asked for.

The trust and understanding between government and populace and the police and the populace is at an all-time low.

We are far less free, less happy and less prosperous than we were a decade ago.


Blair and his gang have dealt this country an incredible blow from which I fear it will never recover. We're ****ed. And anyone who says that he would be under any circumstances "one of the best PMs ever" needs their head examined. He's a traitor and an affront to democracy who threw this country to the lions for his own personal crusade and that of his screeching harpies, no more.

 

[repiV]

Half of your points relate to British yob culture not Blair's premiership - if I remember correctly British police are better armed and have access to good technological solutions, various state solutions have been introduced to combat them and by spying you mean CCTV in urban centres.

British yob culture is largely the result of Blair's premiership.
Police are better armed? How? Furthermore, there are less of them about - the days of the "local bobby on the beat" are well and truly over. Now, particularly for motoring "offences", we have justice by automated enforcement and no fair trial - get caught, get a letter through the post and pay up without being found guilty by a court of law. Prove your innocence and risk higher penalties if you dare.
We're not even allowed to defend ourselves anymore - if you do, you're likely to be the one in jail. Burglars can sue you if they hurt yourself burgling your home. It's absolute bloody insanity.
CCTV in urban centres has no effect on crime whatsoever, it's nothing more than an instrument of control. I am also referring to speed cameras, talivans, the NHS centralised computer system, the ID cards scheme and every other method they use to monitor and control us.

Blaming issues like multiculturalism diluting British culture, weakening of the union and others shows a certain political crudity. A prime minister is a nation manager not god - how would you propose holding back the tide of change? With New Tories?

Multiculturalism is a social engineering project designed and implemented by New Labour...the weakening of the Union is largely the result of devolution.
New Tories? They're just like New Labour but less scandalous and even more populist. Like I said, we're ****ed.

You seem completely ungrateful for the decade of economic stability, prosperity and growth and the end of IRA terrorism in the UK.
Your quality of life has never been higher. /devils advocate

Quality of life has never been higher?
You'd have to be earning a six figure salary to afford a mortgage on an average family home in a run-down area of London. The fun and enjoyment of life has been sucked away by increasing government control and nannying, and the new generation of kids are the worst little shits I've ever encountered. All about their rights, no responsibilities and no concern for the consequences of their actions. Because schools and government now take the responsibility for raising children, and they can't learn life's lessons because that's too cruel.
If a kid runs out into the road without looking and gets run over by a car, it's the driver's fault. Merely an indicator of our extensive victim culture.

 

[Tagaziel]

It's kind of fun to read your posts sometimes.

 

[KagePrototype]

Huh, he's standing down on my birthday. That's rather nice of him.

 

[99.vikram]

How did you turn this one into more anti-socialist rhetoric, RepiV? How??

Slackers and scumbags are rewarded while true contributors to society are punished for their success.

The heart of British culture and identity is being ripped to shreds by uncontrolled immigration, multiculturalism and political correctness.

It would have been funny if you didn't really mean this. It's more than a little scary. :x

Real criminals are treated with kid gloves, while law-abiding citizens are regularly persecuted.

What would any other PM have done in the same place to curb terrorism?

These are the only points worth debating in that whole rant -

...We have serious problems with law and order in society...

Our education system is becoming ever more of a travesty...

Pandering to minorities and pressure groups with inane, hypocritical and dangerous ideas is more important than doing the right thing...

We have become the most spied on nation in the world, and are rapidly becoming a police state...

The trust and understanding between government and populace and the police and the populace is at an all-time low...

We are far less free, less happy and less prosperous than we were a decade ago.

- But apart from the education and the spying issues, none of these arguments have any basis anyway.

 

[repiV]

How did you turn this one into more anti-socialist rhetoric, RepiV? How??

Anti-socialist rhetoric? The ****?

It would have been funny if you didn't really mean this. It's more than a little scary. :x

It's also true. You live in India, a hegemonous and culturally insular society. Don't pass comment on multiculturalism and PC in Britain as if you know what the hell you're talking about, because you don't.

What would any other PM have done in the same place to curb terrorism?

It's got absolutely nothing to do with terrorism. I'm talking about scum of the earth troublemakers being absolved of responsibility for their crimes, or given community service because they're "just misunderstood and we should support them" while millions of perfectly safe drivers get given a fine and penalty points on their driving license for being caught 5mph over the speed limit at 3am on a clear open road. Said speed limit probably set by some council moron who doesn't even use the roads.

These are the only points worth debating in that whole rant -

- But apart from the education and the spying issues, none of these arguments have any basis anyway.

How dare you tell me which points are worthy of debate when you don't even begin to have any conception whatsoever of the problems we face in modern Britain, or the completely undemocratic and deceptive way the Blair regime conducts itself in order to force its incorrect agenda upon an unwilling public.

 

[99.vikram]

It's also true. You live in India, a hegemonous and culturally insular society
...How dare you tell me which points are worthy of debate when you don't even begin to have any conception whatsoever of the problems we face in modern Britain, or the...blah blah...ramble ramble...

You've brought up this bullsh*t before, and I can see that there's no way we can debate. I'll try not to respond to any of your points from now on, and you can feel happier knowing that there's one less conflicting opinion your mind has to struggle with from now on. :cheers:

 

[repiV]

You've brought up this bullsh*t before, and I can see that there's no way we can debate. I'll try not to respond to any of your points from now on, and you can feel happier knowing that there's one less conflicting opinion your mind has to struggle with from now on. :cheers:

No, I'll feel happier knowing that I don't have to deal with someone who thinks their completely baseless and unqualified opinion has merit.

 

[Shift]

I couldn't give a crap what he has done for this country, the only fact that sticks with me was when he lied to the country about there being weapons of mass destruction in Iraq because he didn't have the backbone to say that he would not aid the USA in the most pointless war in the history of mankind. Because of his lies, British soldiers have died, many only 18 years old who had the rest of their lives ahead of them, in a war they didn't even understand. Oh and what happens to the one man who had the balls to say that he will not go to Iraq because he didn't believe in the conflict? He gets put in jail.

He is, and always will be a traitor to this country, his only legacy is ihs pure responsibility for the deaths of the soldiers that have died and still dieing in a country they had no right to invade.

 

[NeptuneUK]

You've brought up this bullsh*t before, and I can see that there's no way we can debate. I'll try not to respond to any of your points from now on, and you can feel happier knowing that there's one less conflicting opinion your mind has to struggle with from now on. :cheers:

I still think he's right when he says you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[Solaris]

I really like Blair, if only I didn't despise him other the war.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

I couldn't give a crap what he has done for this country, the only fact that sticks with me was when he lied to the country about there being weapons of mass destruction in Iraq because he didn't have the backbone to say that he would not aid the USA in the most pointless war in the history of mankind. Because of his lies, British soldiers have died, many only 18 years old who had the rest of their lives ahead of them, in a war they didn't even understand. Oh and what happens to the one man who had the balls to say that he will not go to Iraq because he didn't believe in the conflict? He gets put in jail.

He is, and always will be a traitor to this country, his only legacy is ihs pure responsibility for the deaths of the soldiers that have died and still dieing in a country they had no right to invade.

Qouted. For. Mutha****ing. Truth. That is the worst thing he has ever done (and he's done bad things). Just because he's so scared of not helping America people have died, our own, Americas (who might not have gone if we hadn't...then again, George Bush) and Iraqi people.

 

[Gray Fox]

You've brought up this bullsh*t before, and I can see that there's no way we can debate. I'll try not to respond to any of your points from now on, and you can feel happier knowing that there's one less conflicting opinion your mind has to struggle with from now on. :cheers:

:cheers: :cheers: Still can't believe it took you so long to figure it out.

 

[gick]

You've brought up this bullsh*t before, and I can see that there's no way we can debate. I'll try not to respond to any of your points from now on, and you can feel happier knowing that there's one less conflicting opinion your mind has to struggle with from now on. :cheers:

Didnt you get the memo? repiV has the monopoly on intelligence in these parts, we only disagree with him because we've been brainwashed by POLITICALLY CORRECT LIBERALISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dynasty]

How? The only people who would remember him as even a competent PM, let alone one of the best ever, are people too ignorant to look beyond the spin and bullshit.

He's an absolute and total disaster. He hasn't done a single good thing for this country. Ever. In fact, he's positively thrown it to the dogs. Iraq is absolutely trivial in his long list of total ****ups.

Thanks to New Labour,

We have serious problems with law and order in society.

Real criminals are treated with kid gloves, while law-abiding citizens are regularly persecuted.

Our education system is becoming ever more of a travesty.

The family as an institution is in crisis, and we see the result in the ever-growing underclass.

The only way to solve problems is to throw more legislation at them - which never solves anything, but serves only to restrict our freedom and insult our intelligence.

Pandering to minorities and pressure groups with inane, hypocritical and dangerous ideas is more important than doing the right thing.

Slackers and scumbags are rewarded while true contributors to society are punished for their success.

Our quality of life is falling ever further behind other first-world nations.

We are now a nanny state, where government always knows what's best for you and people have their individual responsibilities as well as rights taken away one by one.

We have become the most spied on nation in the world, and are rapidly becoming a police state.

The heart of British culture and identity is being ripped to shreds by uncontrolled immigration, multiculturalism and political correctness.

We have had to endure a decade of an authoritarian government that doesn't listen to the people and just does what it wants anyway.

The Union has been completely undermined.

Common sense has been replaced by Blairite talking points, and facts are manipulated to support policies rather than the other way around.

The entire face, identity and culture of Britain has been irrevocably altered resulting in more segregation, discontent and violence than ever before through social engineering which nobody asked for.

The trust and understanding between government and populace and the police and the populace is at an all-time low.

We are far less free, less happy and less prosperous than we were a decade ago.


Blair and his gang have dealt this country an incredible blow from which I fear it will never recover. We're ****ed. And anyone who says that he would be under any circumstances "one of the best PMs ever" needs their head examined. He's a traitor and an affront to democracy who threw this country to the lions for his own personal crusade and that of his screeching harpies, no more.

Yasus brew, get out then? Hes done alot for this country (yeah i hate it too but anyway).

And you guys all seem to be basing his 'shitness' and 'traitor' decisions on the Iraq war. He kept up to his beliefs in an age old alliance. What message would we have sent to the world's largest superpower *cough* if we didnt go?

'Yeah i know you're our ally Bush, but *uck it, some people in my country are ignorant and cant see the greater good in it, so you go do your thing and ill sit here improving the country'.

Yes im completely against the war, and yes in my eyes it was a stupid move, but he only did it because he had the responsibility and the ability to do it, aswell as, quite simply, he believed it was the right thing to do.

Anyway, hes gone/going now, so lets see who gets elected next so we can rip him/her apart with help from the media.

 

[gick]

'Yeah i know you're our ally Bush, but *uck it, some people in my country are ignorant and cant see the greater good in it, so you go do your thing and ill sit here improving the country'.

Yes im completely against the war, and yes in my eyes it was a stupid move, but he only did it because he had the responsibility and the ability to do it, aswell as, quite simply, he believed it was the right thing to do.

Does not compute.

 

[repiV]

Yasus brew, get out then? Hes done alot for this country (yeah i hate it too but anyway).

I intend to, when circumstances allow. Why do you hate it?

What has he done for this country?

And you guys all seem to be basing his 'shitness' and 'traitor' decisions on the Iraq war. He kept up to his beliefs in an age old alliance. What message would we have sent to the world's largest superpower *cough* if we didnt go?

'Yeah i know you're our ally Bush, but *uck it, some people in my country are ignorant and cant see the greater good in it, so you go do your thing and ill sit here improving the country'.

Yes im completely against the war, and yes in my eyes it was a stupid move, but he only did it because he had the responsibility and the ability to do it, aswell as, quite simply, he believed it was the right thing to do.

That makes no sense. Your first statement is also untrue - I think he's a traitor because he's fed this country to the dogs and works tirelessly to arrogantly push through his own agenda despite the opinion of the people he is supposed to represent. I couldn't give a **** about what happens to Iraq.

Anyway, hes gone/going now, so lets see who gets elected next so we can rip him/her apart with help from the media.

None of the choices could be as bad as Blair. Except, perhaps, the Green party...

 

[repiV]

Didnt you get the memo? repiV has the monopoly on intelligence in these parts, we only disagree with him because we've been brainwashed by POLITICALLY CORRECT LIBERALISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, clearly. The fact that some bespectacled student from India who has never even been to this country is completely unqualified to comment on the issues of multiculturalism, political correctness and British social issues yet feels he is quite obviously 100% correct and to add to that, can't even present a coherent argument has nothing to do with it.
Just because you have the ability to speak doesn't make your opinion valid.

If he had actually said something useful, and had approached it from the angle of "well, I have no experience of what the situation is actually like, but it seems to me that..." instead of the unqualified assumption that I must be wrong about something I've lived around all my life and that he has no conception of and no basis for an opinion, it would be a different story.

 

[DreamThrall]

Does not compute.

I think he was referring to how the US and the UK have been in the shit together in just about every (if not every) major war in the last century+, so it would have been very bad form politically to say no to this one. If he did, then the next time the UK needed military help from the US (god forbid), the US could've been like "well f you, where were ya last time WE needed you?"

Plus, if you recall, at the time, Georgie & Co had the lot of us fooled into thinking there were WMDs, so there wasn't a whole lot of reason to say no, except for the whole not making pre-emptive war thing, but that's another story...

 

[repiV]

I think he was referring to how the US and the UK have been in the shit together in just about every (if not every) major war in the last century+, so it would have been very bad form politically to say no to this one. If he did, then the next time the UK needed military help from the US (god forbid), the US could've been like "well f you, where were ya last time WE needed you?"

Plus, if you recall, at the time, Georgie & Co had the lot of us fooled into thinking there were WMDs, so there wasn't a whole lot of reason to say no, except for the whole not making pre-emptive war thing, but that's another story...

I seem to recall that we went it alone in the Falklands...well, besides some covert help from Reagen.
The "special relationship" is bullshit. It works ok when you have someone like Thatcher in charge that isn't afraid to strongarm a fair deal, but sycophantic Blair makes it a case of Bush says "jump", Blair says "how high?"
I find the concept of the "special relationship" insulting, particularly when it's far easier to get the right to remain in the US by sneaking over the border from Mexico and no speaka no English than by being a highly skilled Brit.

 

[CptStern]

I think he was referring to how the US and the UK have been in the shit together in just about every (if not every) major war in the last century+, so it would have been very bad form politically to say no to this one. If he did, then the next time the UK needed military help from the US (god forbid), the US could've been like "well f you, where were ya last time WE needed you?"

Plus, if you recall, at the time, Georgie & Co had the lot of us fooled into thinking there were WMDs, so there wasn't a whole lot of reason to say no, except for the whole not making pre-emptive war thing, but that's another story...

even though blair knew that it was a sham before the first bomb was even dropped?

IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 23 JULY (2002)

C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.

The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun "spikes of activity" to put pressure on the regime. No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.
.....

The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran.

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/memos.html

 

[JFry]

yea but the man had a great smile, there's no denying that.

 

[repiV]

yea but the man had a great smile, there's no denying that.

Yeah. Blair - a triumph of style over substance.
I think Blair's "legacy" is proof that we need serious electoral reform. All we do is elect the smoothest talkers...we need some kind of proof of a party's abilities and intentions before we elect them. Say, each part of the manifesto must be backed up with details of how it will work and be implemented and why - and each point is picked apart by an independent review.
And each year, there is an independent review on how the sitting government has delivered on its promises, and investigates the specific effects the government's policy has had on society and presents their findings to the public...maybe hold yearly elections without the extravagant election campaigns. With such a system, we would actually be able to guide society in the direction we want it to take rather than take a stab in the dark by electing the next bunch of morons.

Basically, we need governments that are elected based on their ability to govern and not on their ability to sell.

 

[99.vikram]

...The fact that some bespectacled student from India who has never even been to this country is completely unqualified to comment on the issues of multiculturalism, political correctness and British social issues yet feels he is quite obviously 100% correct and to add to that, can't even present a coherent argument has nothing to do with it.
Just because you have the ability to speak doesn't make your opinion valid.

If he had actually said something useful, and had approached it from the angle of "well, I have no experience of what the situation is actually like, but it seems to me that..." instead of the unqualified assumption that I must be wrong about something I've lived around all my life and that he has no conception of and no basis for an opinion, it would be a different story.

I RESENT THAT.

I do not wear spectacles.

 

[Doppelgofer]

as a bitter and twisted citizen of the uk, i agree with some of the points repiV is making

the stuff hes saying about values being lost in a tide of irresponsibility and pc-ness is true. future generations won't have many moral values because you can get away with murder in this country nowadays without so much as a slap on the wrist (over exaggeration). there just really seems to be barely any consequences for wrong doing if you will. its madness

the multicultural society debate is a toughy. on paper it sounds great, people from allsorts of cultures and backgrounds living together in harmony holding hands and waving lighters around in the air as we sing the national anthem in all different languages, but in practice, just go to an underprivilidged school in accrington like i did and see the amount of race riots that errupt all the time plus accusations of racism being thrown about in british society

britain is going down but i'm not sure if its tony blair thats caused it

 

[SAJ]

As usual, Steve Bell manages to nail the moment .... Clicky for Piccy

(Wish I could paste the picture itself though)

 

[Kadayi]

Your quality of life has never been higher.

Quality of life higher? You are joking. The divide between the Rich and Poor in the UK is at it's biggest since the 1900s, principally because of the house of cards that is our over inflated housing market.

The average person is seeing 42% of their salary disappear on either a mortgage or rent (which by hook or crook ends up principally with the banks), where as in Europe it's nearer 28%.

It's estimated that the UK housing market is 40% overvalued, which in real world terms means that if the market ground to a complete halt at present rates of inflation 5.5% it's going to take at least 8 years for salaries to catch up.

Recently the banks to further encourage people to mortgage themselves to the hilt declared that customers could take out 6 times their annual salary.

What have labour done to halt this spiral of madness? Absolutely **** all my friend. :dozey: