|
The last European Council and the last bored PM statement on Monday, 19 June marks the official end of Tony’s efforts to reform the European Union.
He’s given them several days of his attention. He’s put up his plans for turning them into Blair International GMBH. Not only have the ungrateful sods not listened, but they’ve actually charged him more to belong and be ignored. That’s it. Tony’s given up on them knowing that Gordon can be left to pay the bill. On s’en fout.
* * *
Labour’s slide in popularity wouldn’t have been as disorientating to the Party in Parliament if the majority of the Party who came in in 1997 and after hadn’t got so used to the assumption that we can walk on water forever. Now that it’s up to their genitals (or at least Prezza’s) and almost over Hazel Blears’s head, it’s sent a chill through the Party and proved thoroughly disorientating.
Don’t let it get us down. Tony has now become so unfairly unpopular for the simple reason that if you chop all the other trees down the lightening strikes the only one left standing. Mid-term collapses in government popularity have been the norm in British politics right up to 1997. This is just a reversion to normal. Popularity will return. That process will be helped by the bounce we get from a new Leader, though Gordon’s (for it is bound to be he) bounce will be less and of shorter duration than, say, John Major’s, Jim Callaghan’s, Douglas Home’s or Anthony Eden’s. The media (excepting Mathew Parris who’s decided to get his bile in early) will be forced to give him a period of grace.
This can’t, however, be extended by simply offering more of the same without a smiling face. There will need to be a change in direction, not one following the Compass (an organisation for disaffected Blairites) but back to being Labour. An early election after the change is beginning to look likely. It’s supported by the thought that, of the new leaders listed above, the ones who did best electorally (Eden and Major) were the ones who went soonest.
All of which reinforces the case for enacting Austin’s Law: impose a maximum six year tenure for Prime Ministers. Six years and then out. Every post-war Prime Minister who’s exceeded that has ended up barking or broken. Just look at the list and put them in the relevant category. Now Blog off. |
