Tony Blair's Departure

[Phoney Tony]

Tony is preparing a 'Presidential' departure, visiting high profile venues within the UK and appearing on high profile TV programmes.
Where/ who else should he visit?

A starter for 10;

The Service families of all those who have died/ been injured in conflict since he came to power.

[GlosMikeP]

Where/ who else should he visit?

A starter for 10;

The Service families of all those who have died/ been injured in conflict since he came to power.

Heaven forbid! Unless they're armed with water pistols first to leave him dripping.

[Navy_Adversary]

I don't suppose he would care to hold one in a hangar at Brize?:(

[snapper41]

Tony is preparing a 'Presidential' departure, visiting high profile venues within the UK and appearing on high profile TV programmes.

I've just read on the BBC website that the 'high profile TV programmes' include Blue Peter and the Chris Evans Show (I know - radio, not TV); my God - is this what our esteemed leader counts as high profile???

[arismount]

Hey Phoney Tony,

People die in wars. The muslims don't worry so much about it, that's one reason they are likely to win. That and the pansies on our side. Yes, I might be talking about you. If the shoe fits wear it.

You won't complain so much if the muslims win. That's not because you will be happier. It's because you will either keep your mouth shut or be dead.

God bless Tony Blair, one of the last men left in Europe.

[snapper41]

Hey Phoney Tony,
People die in wars. The muslims don't worry so much about it, that's one reason they are likely to win. That and the pansies on our side. Yes, I might be talking about you. If the shoe fits wear it.
You won't complain so much if the muslims win. That's not because you will be happier. It's because you will either keep your mouth shut or be dead.
God bless Tony Blair, one of the last men left in Europe.
Does anyone understand one word of this???:confused:

[Mighty Norman]

Hey Phoney Tony,

People die in wars. The muslims don't worry so much about it, that's one reason they are likely to win. That and the pansies on our side. Yes, I might be talking about you. If the shoe fits wear it.

You won't complain so much if the muslims win. That's not because you will be happier. It's because you will either keep your mouth shut or be dead.

God bless Tony Blair, one of the last men left in Europe.

Geezer, you really shouldn't drink and dial......

[Mighty Norman]

Lets see Billy Liar do a short-shuttle around the many outcrops of ****ty places he has dumped our troops, it might be nice to see if he actually knows let alone cares where we are?!

Bring back Maggie! Bit of Old School Action (and not in a MILF kind of way!!)

[mbga9pgf]

Does anyone understand one word of this???:confused:


No. And I guess the pube that wrote it hasnt lost as many friends as some of us in the american sponsored escapades in the gulf. Typical god bless american bullcrap. Well I am afraid your little saviour Tone is nothing more than a cowardly spineless Sh*t that will not be missed on this side of Atlantic. Perhaps he could slime his way to your side of the pond.

The problem with you yanks is you never learn any lessons do you? You never bother to look back in history because you have very little of it. You will loose in Iraq not because the Islamists are a tough enemy, you will loose as you are stupid and never learnt from your mistakes in the 60's. Tell me this my friend, if you believe so much in liberty, why not sort out other nations that are falling apart before going for the ones that are capable of screwing the US economy?

Oh, it must be nice to work for a government that respects its forces, doesnt expect them to pay council tax or Income tax whilst away, gives them more phone minutes than its prisoners back home, doesnt screw with ROE for political reasons and LISTENS to its people.

[Always a Sapper]

Speaking for myself, I hope he sticks it out as long as possible :eek:
I really don’t think anything will change for the better with Brown in fact judging from his past history and love of the forces (not) it will get a lot lot worse...... :sad:
My point is the longer he stays in place the more damage he does to 'Nue Labour' and more curtains come off all their incompetence. := And that can only help to open the eyes of the electorate once and for all so come the next big deciding, so long as they haven’t shifted the constituencies and thereby voting profile of the country they should be out for a very very long time.... :D

[mlc]

Problem is..what's the alternative. Cameron seems to be left of the Liberal Democrats at the moment. He's more of a loon than Phoney Tony.

[Always a Sapper]

Hey Phoney Tony,
People die in wars. The muslims don't worry so much about it, that's one reason they are likely to win. That and the pansies on our side. Yes, I might be talking about you. If the shoe fits wear it.
You won't complain so much if the muslims win. That's not because you will be happier. It's because you will either keep your mouth shut or be dead.
God bless Tony Blair, one of the last men left in Europe.


Yes, sadly you are quite correct 'arismount', people do die in wars...

But less die if the services are SUPPORTED with the right kit and ENOUGH of it to go around when they go off on these wee 'fun' trips he keeps signing us up for.... what about the Foam? or the Snatch L/R .... Body Armour? I wont even go into the undermanning and total lack of support provided for the latest jaunt ... 3 years and back without a shot fired? there ? ffs what planet is he and his SoS Def on????


ok guys, rant off ... I apologise now if my 'arrse' head got switched on for a bit there ..... right, I'm off to raise a glass or ten to some fine people ... :sad: anyone joining me?

[QFIhawkman]

Good point mlc. So who would we prefer? David Cameron, who is more of a bare faced liar than Tony will ever be... (Cycling greenie anyone? "Oh hang on, that car behind me? Oh yeah I need that for my clothes and stuff. But I'm still really green!")
Or good old grumpy Gordon, who seems to have a track record of hating the forces more than anyone, seeing as they cost money.

Our thread starter Phoney Toney referred to a wish to see the PM visiting injured sevicemen. Norman craves for the days of Maggie. Now correct me if I'm wrong... but I don't recall Maggie visiting too many hospitals either. I'm not sure Winston Churchill was a complete whizz on the hospital circuit while I think about it.....

The PM won't visit troops in hospital. Why would he? Casualties are a fact of armed conflict, and do we REALLY expect a countries' premier to go chasing round hospitals making sure everyone's ok? Quite ridiculous.

Quoting Mighty norman:
"Lets see Billy Liar do a short-shuttle around the many outcrops of ****ty places he has dumped our troops, it might be nice to see if he actually knows let alone cares where we are?!"

Norman is your memory that short? Or do you just not read the papers or watch the news much? I have counted at least 3 visits to Iraq so far by the current PM, and 2 to Afghanistan. Given that this is primarily his SoSDef's job, that's not a bad record. Again, show me a time when Maggie visited Port Stanley.

I'll state now that I'm in favour of the man. (I feel a wall of flame coming my way, I know!) He has his faults, but on his plate, along with defence, are all the other things the Great (?) British Public are clamouring for funding for.
We in the Defence sector have to realise this: The public don't see why they should spend money on us. There is no enemy at the gate as far as they are concerned. So, it's not all Tony's fault, he's just doing what the electorate ask of him.
(To save me from being completely flamed, I just thought I'd add that I'm not in favour of supporting the US willy nilly, as we seem to do at present. So I'm not totally in favour of the PM's policies!)

My opinion. That's all.

[Mighty Norman]

QFI,

5 visits since 2001, awesome! I really should be grateful. When he gets to 5 in a year then I'll be impressed!..

Resisting the bait to enter a slagging match, really can't be bothered mate...usually got more of a life:ugh:

[Mighty Norman]

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/gallery/2002/02/25/mines.jpg

QFI,HOWEVER not sure if it is Stanley but probably close!!! Maybe if Falklands campaign was years and not weeks/months then she may well have gone more, who knows? Google...dontcha love it!?

[QFIhawkman]

QFI,

5 visits since 2001, awesome! I really should be grateful. When he gets to 5 in a year then I'll be impressed!..

Resisting the bait to enter a slagging match, really can't be bothered mate...usually got more of a life:ugh:

I stand by my post. The current PM has more visits to a theatre than any other PM that I know of. And you DID say that he should visit our areas of operations..... remember this?

Quoting Norman:
"Lets see Billy Liar do a short-shuttle around the many outcrops of ****ty places he has dumped our troops, it might be nice to see if he actually knows let alone cares where we are?!"

So 5 visits isn't good enough for you? Just how many would be okay? Maybe you'd be happy if he was there every week. But I doubt it.

Anyway my point is proven as far as that is concerned. You originally said he hadn't visited theatre, I've proved he has. Several times.

Nice picture of Maggie by the way... What year was it taken? You seemed to intimate that she had visited during the conflict, or would have done had it been longer. Care to elaborate? Yes google is a wonderful thing indeed norman, but do try to back it up with facts. Anyone can do a half arsed image search.

I'm not into slagging matches, and I too have a life. However if you would like to take me to task (properly next time) on any of my posts, feel free to do so. It won't be a slagging match, I am an adult and can conduct a civilised conversation or debate.

[Pontius Navigator]

Education, education, education.

That includes punctuation and capitalisation.


Glass breaking do I hear?

[microlight AV8R]

Hey Phoney Tony,

People die in wars. The muslims don't worry so much about it, that's one reason they are likely to win. That and the pansies on our side. Yes, I might be talking about you. If the shoe fits wear it.

You won't complain so much if the muslims win. That's not because you will be happier. It's because you will either keep your mouth shut or be dead.

God bless Tony Blair, one of the last men left in Europe.

Maybe you should check the history of the conflict. It started long before 9/11 and has its roots in Arab nationalism. Oh yes now I remember... Suez 1956 when your politicians applied pressure to stop us and the French from drawing a line in the sand. It has rolled on from then. Bet you'd have been cheesed off if us Europeans had told you to butt out of Panama !

I don't know who you are calling pansies but I suggest you have the decency to clarify. We have lost many decent men and women in sandy places and you will have to look long and hard to find any armed forces who could perform tasks like ours do with so many equipment shortfalls.

Try using more economic cars at home, that might make a difference. Then maybe the free world could tell some countries where to stuff their oil prices. But you may have to make friends with Venezuela, ouch that'll hurt.

Tony Blair is not our most popular leader, but hey this is democracy. As for the muslims winning and shutting us up, NO, not even when they are marching along Whitehall ! Now you've done it, I do believe I may have lost my temper.

This computers overheating and so am I. I either stand down or blow up.
Guess I shall have to go and make a pot of tea.

Rant over.

[Pontius Navigator]

Sadly it started rather earlier than 1956.

The Turks kept the lid on things for 100s of years until with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire things started to unravel.

Increasing need for oil and the allied occupation of Mesopotamia then started the new conflict.

The Balfour Declaration: <<By the standards of international diplomacy, the Balfour Declaration of 1917 is an amazing document, succinctly summarized by Arthur Koestler who wrote that the declaration amounted to "one nation solemnly promised to a second nation the country of a third." Beyond the textual content of the Balfour Declaration - it was made up of just three sentences and some 125 words in total - its significance lies in how it came to pass and what impact it had both on the course of World War I and subsequent events culminating in the formation of Israel.>>

Solution? NAFC

[microlight AV8R]

Pontius, I concur with your historical statement.

I see the Suez campaign as the opening shots of the latest stage of the long war.

I might even be tempted to root out my bible and find a quotation I have in mind which shows the conflict started even further back.

Perehaps I should be more reserved in my responses to our colonial cousins. After all, they are so young in terms of statehood:cool:

[QFIhawkman]

Pontius, I concur with your historical statement.

I see the Suez campaign as the opening shots of the latest stage of the long war.

I might even be tempted to root out my bible and find a quotation I have in mind which shows the conflict started even further back.

Perehaps I should be more reserved in my responses to our colonial cousins. After all, they are so young in terms of statehood:cool:

That's as maybe. But aren't we getting just a little off thread?

[Pontius Navigator]

micro you are too kind.

My history course also posed the question was the 2nd WW merely a continuation of Bismarck's foreign policy some 70 years previous. Indeed you could argue that current policy is unchanged.

Did you see Sunday's Telegraph with the new European map drawn but German cartographers? Kent to be part of the Normandy region. Better, Scotland in the same region as Greenland, Iceland, Faroes and northern Norway - now someone is likely to object :} . At least we got the Atlantic seaboard.

[microlight AV8R]

At least we got the Atlantic seaboard.

What ?! Have we got Ireland back ?? :}

[Pontius Navigator]

Yup, all the way down the Route Napoleon to St Jean d'Luz and beyond and got rid of Scotland - bonus - do we get rid of the Scottish question too?:}

[oldfella]

What he should do is to re-visit each of the major decisions made during his so-called leadership and re-consider them under the headings of: honour, duty, truth and integrity.

[Dan Winterland]

Maggie listed New Labour as one of her greatest acheivements!

And what's wrong with Tone wanting to be on Blue Peter? I'm sure he will wear his badge with pride!

[vecvechookattack]

Im not so sure that GB will assume command.....I'd put my money on


http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page1388.asp

[Talk Wrench]

Considering that 50 of Bliars MP's are calling for his resignation, how will we fare under Brown?

I didn't vote for Labour back in 97, let alone Brown.

Should the public be able to ask for a general election on the grounds of mistrust and disillusion? Do we get a choice who is the next leader? Why should we all accept ( in my eyes ) someone who will take the UK further down the road to ruin as precipitated by Browns steal and fritter policies.

Will we rip up the paving slabs if Brown becomes the new noo labour top bod?

No, we won't. As usual we will just put up and shut up.
at least the French would riot about such things!!!!


Time for a revolution against the failed socialism that Blair, mandy and brown thought would be good for us all.


Get rid of Labour and all of their cronies before we become the laughing stock of society as we know it.

Sorry, I think it might be too late
TW

[Blacksheep]

Im not so sure that GB will assume command.....I'd put my money on
John Reid - I reckon you may be right there vecvechookattack All the press hoo-har revolves around the Liar handing over to the Lurker as agreed during their infamous Islington restaurant meeting. But the leadership isn't in Tony's gift. The party constitution provides for a leadership election when the post falls vacant.

The leader is elected by an electoral college, with votes allocated equally to the Trades Unions, Parliamentary Labour Party and the constituency Labour Parties. Trades unions and CLPs must hold ballots of their individual members using a one member, one vote system. So, it is indeed far from certain that GB will be the next Prime Minister.

...and that is probably why the Liar is taking so long to decide on when to "step down" and the Lurker is keeping his head down and his mouth shut.


At the end of the day though, the question is one of policy. Will the next PM continue with the policy of walking to heel with a Trans-Atlantic master?

[Anotherpost75]

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/steve_bell/2006/09/06/bell.jpg
Steve Bell - Guardian

[MercenaryAli]

*Instead of electing a so called government, who interestingly enough attracted only 22% of the votes cast, why don't the electorate simply put it out to tender? Perhaps Sir Alan Sugar, Sir Richard Branson or even our very own favourite Mr Easy himself! I am quite sure none of the aforementioned would make anywhere near as much as a hash of it as this bunch of amateurs who have rules with smoke, mirrors, spin and much self congratulations! And we English certainly do not want Mr Brown in charge :ugh:

Talk wrench - Time for a revolution against the failed socialism that Blair, mandy and brown thought would be good for us all.
I'm with you, I have oiled my musket, now where shall we assemble?

[jayteeto]

On night shift at the moment, but will crack a celebration tinny in the morning. Bye Tony, can't you just FO now and save us further agony??

[London Mil]

Is he still in the job?

bu&&er :ugh:

[teeteringhead]

Think I'd prefer John Reid to GB too. Was quite impressed with him when he became MinAF in '97 when Teeters was a MoD slave....

But the CV since then is impressive - he's had a go at many departments, whereas GB has done Treasury and ... er ... that's all.

But then he did have the Stranglers record a song about him, or is my A2 helicopter hearing deceiving me again.......;)

[lasernigel]

I think if John Reid got in as P.M the 'West Lothian' question would seriously have to be looked again.The country would be then ruled by a Scot with no doubt lots more in his cabinet.They've got their own parliament which cost us all as UK taxpayers a lot of money.
Definitely NOT ON!:*

[QFIhawkman]

Now that is a good point laser,

I do wonder how many Englishmen are members of the Scottish Parliament....

My guess is zero.

[Gainesy]

Blair was born in Edinburgh.

[An Teallach]

QFI Hawkman

There are only Scotsmen and Scotswomen in the Scottish Parliament. However, judging by the accents, some of them are Scots of English origin, just as some are Scots of Asian origin. I wonder when we'll have our first Scots-Polish MSP!

[Skunkerama]

Why don't we completly screw this country up? Lets get Prescott in as PM. At least we could all die laughing.

[BellEndBob]

We are in this sorry state not because of the politicians but the lazy, take all give nothing British public who would rather vote on Big Brother than a General Election.
If you choose not to vote then you have noone to blame but yourselves (general comment and not aimed at anyone in particular).

Personally, I want GB in as Prime Minister because he is the only effective means of destroying the Government we have. Cameron and his Wine Bar cronies will probably be in Berlin apologising for WW2.

Stephen Fry summed it up nicely in an interview a few months ago when he said 'It is not those who seek power in this country that are at fault, it is the scum like us who are given the vote and let them get away with it'.:D :D

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

It seems quite clear that the man in No 11 despises Defence. If he moves to No 10, the options for getting out of our 2 "wars on terror" look limited and he will have even less interest in paying for them. Once the not immediately engaged elements have been sacrificed as essential savings, we will never be able to get them back. One of the pillars of the early Labour Party achieved at a stroke; a token defence force, thus removing Britain from World politics.

[PhoenixDaCat]

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, Tom Watson MP, has resigned, along with 7 other junior ministers.

Looks like things aren't going to go to plan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5319854.stm

Now where did I put the Dom Perignon?

[WIWOWessex]

I think if John Reid got in as P.M the 'West Lothian' question would seriously have to be looked again.The country would be then ruled by a Scot with no doubt lots more in his cabinet.They've got their own parliament which cost us all as UK taxpayers a lot of money.
Definitely NOT ON!:*


I think you'll find that its not only JR who's subject to question on the West Lothian affair. GB is MP for Kirkaldy!!

[BEagle]

Much as I destest the simpering poodle who trots along licking Bush's backside, I hate to think how bad things would be with grumpy, grasping Grn Bru in No 10.

General Election is needed - and the end of NooLabor.

[London Mil]

Maybe someone should present him with a "Chuff Chart"? :eek:

[Wayitup]

It really does not matter much which party is in No 10 these days. Essentially Billy Liar and his team have destroyed the 'public' interest in who the hell is there with their outright lies, cronyism and LMF. Not so long ago when a Minister screwed up(personally or departmentally....Home office/NHS/Transport/Education/Defence anyone) they did the decent thing and 'fell on their swords'!!! Now you screw anything (up/down/secretary/rent boy!!) and you get to keep your job (with nothing to do and no powers....Oops sorry Two Jags)/house/perks et al....
IMO 99% of those who contribute to these pages realise it matters not a jot who gets into No 10 (except maybe some of the more 'radical' elements and that money grabbing git 'Grabbin' Gord'). Once there it's a case of 'I'm alright jack'.
Politicians...self serving, egotistical, issue avoiding, money grabbin', lying Bas***ds one and all, and BLiar has been the biggest and best for years.
Rant over...I hate politics...causes too much grief:ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

[BellEndBob]

Politicians...self serving, egotistical, issue avoiding, money grabbin', lying Bas***ds one and all.

Much the same can be said for the majority of the electorate.

[Pontius Navigator]

Two thoughts occur. After 10 years doing the job of Chancellor to one's entire satisfaction, what is the driving force to become the number one?

Secondly who will handle the Treasure to the same standard as he set?

[Wayitup]

Politicians...self serving, egotistical, issue avoiding, money grabbin', lying Bas***ds one and all.
Much the same can be said for the majority of the electorate.
True in some cases but being a self serving, egotistical, issue avoiding, money grabbin', lying Bas***d 'Joe public' is far less harmful than holding public office where being a self serving, egotistical, issue avoiding, money grabbin', lying Bas***d screws the whole country:mad: :mad: :mad:

[ORAC]

"Politics is the only field in which the more experience you have, the worse you get."
Kinky Friedman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinky_Friedman), musician and current candidate for governor of Texas

His other good one-liners include: "I don´t know how many supporters I have, but they all carry guns."

and, which really ought to be Tony Blair´s line, not his:

"If I lose this race I will retire in a petulant snit," he said. "I'm not going to go out gracefully, I promise you." :}

[Anotherpost75]

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/if/2006/09/07/20060907_if.jpg
Steve Bell - Again

[jstars2]

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2006/09/07/tbgbchngaa.gif
It's the freebies I'll miss most Gordon!

[airborne_artist]

From the Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/25/ncliff25.xml) a couple of weeks back:

"Sir Cliff Richard disclosed yesterday that he invited Tony Blair to spend a holiday at his home in Barbados because the Prime Minister seemed so "dwindled and haggard" after the start of the war in Iraq.

The singer said he had simply wanted to do "a good deed" for someone who had to do "a terrible job."

Sir Cliff, 65, also disclosed that he had first got to know the Blairs after Mrs Blair contacted him looking for free tickets to one of his concerts."

I understand that the couple have a combined income of about £400,000 pa.

[Gouabafla]

And what's wrong with Tone wanting to be on Blue Peter? I'm sure he will wear his badge with pride!
http://www.heady.co.uk/rm/bpeters.jpg

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Sir Cliff was right - Blair certainly has done a terrible job.

[NimAGE139]

I agree with your concerns over Scottish MPs in government but don't forget that there are many of us Scots who are against the toothless Scottish money-drain that they call parliament. Here's to a leader who'll get shot of it and return to central government.

[Crosswind Limits]

I honestly don't think that Brown or anyone else in the labour party is going to be a future PM!

[BellEndBob]

Great....if we had a grown up opposition ready to take over. Do you really think gorgeous Dave and his very clever chums are going to be any better? Christ, they even look the same as Labour. God help us all.:mad: :mad:

[angels]

Er, would you all be Tories BTW?

What a lot of pathetic right wing drivel in this thread. Did you march against the war in Iraq? I, my kids and a million others, did.

I can't be arsed to search but there was probably a thread on this forum calling us left wing poofters/hippies blah, blah, blah.

I speak as someone who has recently come back from visiting a friend in hospital who is having his femur and pelvis rebuilt after a close shave somewhere in the sandpits.

Okay, flame away.

[BellEndBob]

Fair enough Angels.

However, I hope your kids never need a dentist in a hurry or that, god forbid, you need a CT scan in less than 6 months. I hope that your kids bikes never get stolen and, if they do, you don't have to wait 4 days for a copper who will probably phone you with a crime number.
I hope your kids get to leave (state) school with GCSE's that actually mean something and that they don't get priced out of the job market by EU financial migrants who work for less than half the price. I hope that, having found the minimum wage, they can afford to get a one bedroom flat for less than 250,000.00. I hope they believe their politicians who tell them they have never had it so good.

I salute you for exercising your democratic right to march and protest. It is a distinct lack of people like you that have landed us in the stink hole we are in.

It's not about left or right.

Your kids may be older but I have two teenagers at school and it's their future I worry about.

[BluntedAtBirth]

What a lot of pathetic right wing drivel in this thread. Did you march against the war in Iraq? I, my kids and a million others, did.


No. At the time, like lots of other people on this forum, I was otherwise detained overseas, preoccupied by marching towards the war in Iraq.

Anyway, Tories will be praying for Blair to hang on a long as possible, looking forward to a whole 9 months of 'side-splitting' blood letting within the Labour Party.

For those involved in the financial/managerial aspects of defence, it might pay to ponder whether the latest shifts in power will have any effect on the end game of the Comprehensive Spending Review, concluding in Spring 07. While this was always heavily under Treasury control, there may be now be no impediment to Brown 'rebalancing' resources for the next 3 years towards hardworking-families in Labour marginals rather than squandering it on carriers, DAS and mine-proof vehicles. Should make STP08 and 'SDR Chapter 3 - Now do it with even less money' interesting...

Regards

Blunted

[ZH-127]

Hey Phoney Tony,

People die in wars. The muslims don't worry so much about it, that's one reason they are likely to win. That and the pansies on our side. Yes, I might be talking about you. If the shoe fits wear it.

You won't complain so much if the muslims win. That's not because you will be happier. It's because you will either keep your mouth shut or be dead.

God bless Tony Blair, one of the last men left in Europe.

He he.. Erm.. say again?

They wont win, i wouldnt be happier under muslim control as i dont beleive in religion. I would rather die in freedom than live a lifetime in captivity mate...

[MReyn24050]

I am certainly not a supporter of Tony Blair and will be more than pleased to see him go. However I think it was totally wrong to get or encourage school children to jeer and barrack him as reported by the BBC. Who ever encouraged or allowed that to happen should be ashamed of themselves.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5324608.stm

[MarkD]

BellEnd

you're coming over all Neil Kinnock there...
"If Margaret Thatcher wins on Thursday, I warn you not to be ordinary, I warn you not to be young, I warn you not to fall ill, and I warn you not to grow old."

[BEagle]

Does anyone really think that the nation will ever stand for the grumpy Grn Brun as PM? :ugh:

[Human Factor]

Tony Blair is preparing for a "Presidential" departure.

Can we have a poll to decide which President he should depart like..... :E

[air pig]

The visit from the men in grey suits, a bottle of Brandy and the pearl handled revolver would seem to be an excellent exit stratgey. Offer the same deal to Gordon as well. Always did go for the economic version two for the price of one.
:E :E :E :E :E :E :E

[highcirrus]

Telegraph Leader, 8 September 2006

As for Mr Blair, there will be many who think he should be put out of his misery as quickly as possible. If he survives the Labour conference in Manchester this month – and it is a big "if", given the fevered condition of the party – he will then introduce a new legislative programme in the Queen's Speech which, on his own admission, he will not see through to the Statute Book. Is it really appropriate for the Queen to be involved in such a charade? The weakness of Mr Blair's position will become painfully apparent well before that. He travels to the Middle East this weekend on a "peace mission". What weight will Mr Blair's words carry now on the international stage when the world knows where the real power lies in the Labour Government?

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (Telegraph front page).

President George W Bush's spokesman, Tony Snow, emphasised Mr Bush's continued support for the Prime Minister. "Don't count Tony Blair out," said Mr Snow. "Tony and the president have a lot of work to do. He's still the Prime Minister of Great Britain, he's a valuable ally."

So, two lame ducks for the price of one?

[Anotherpost75]

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/steve_bell/2006/09/08/blltnaa.gif
Steve Bell - Guardian

In his brief statement, made during a visit to a London school, Mr Blair said: "I think what is important now is that we understand that it's the interests of the country that come first and we move on. I would have preferred to do this in my own way but it has been pretty obvious from what many of my cabinet colleagues have said earlier in the week.

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[jstars2]

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[BenThere]

Looking at the 'Time to Go' kids, I couldn't help remembering:

...We don't need no thought control...

[Blacksheep]

'rebalancing' resources for the next 3 years towards hardworking-families in Labour marginals It would be nice if he did. But the money will be rebalanced to provide more social security for unemployable oiks or squandered on such madness as providing asylum for foreign highjackers. :hmm:

[highcirrus]

Jackie Ashley - Comment, Guardian, 8 September 2006

But he (Blair) has been forced to shift not because of a revolting chancellor, or cross groups of fat men in suits brooding over their bitter, but because of utterly obvious, plain-as-a-pikestaff facts in the real world: first, the continuing world-scale disaster of Iraq, which is now dragging George Bush down into the mire of public anger too; second, the crumbling of his real parliamentary majority as MPs refuse to back him on key reforms; third, the inevitable sense of boredom and disaffection that accompanies any leader who has been as omnipresent for as long as him; fourth, the effect of all this on the polls, which are now terrible for Labour; fifth, and finally, the feedback effect of the polls on the mood on the Labour benches.

The prime minister has delayed and fudged and struggled to stay on despite it all - not, I think, merely to pass some abstract hurdle, such as spending more time in office than Margaret Thatcher, but rather because he has hoped that something would turn up. There would be an upsurge of good news - Osama captured, perhaps, or a great international crisis to be dealt with, after which, he dreamed, his stock would rise again and he could leave on an "up". As the weeks have continued to deliver downer after downer, his amazing resilience has kept him going, to the increasing despair of ordinary mainstream MPs around him.

To blame this week's events on (Gordon Brown plus supporters') treachery, therefore, is just like blaming the Tories for getting rid of Thatcher in 1990, or the Liberal Democrats for hounding out Charles Kennedy last year. Thatcher went after her cabinet and many Tory MPs demanded that she go, true. She wasn't happy about it. But her ministers acted not because they were innately treacherous but because Europe was ripping the Conservatives in two and because - after the political disaster of the poll tax - the party was crashing in the polls. A sane reading of events and an instinct for self-preservation were behind that "coup", just as they are behind yesterday's drama.

Similarly, as Greg Hurst's new biography demonstrates, the moves against Charles Kennedy (ex leader, Lib Dems) were the reluctant acts of men and women driven to despair by his drink problem. Elected politicians act in their own interest: they want to keep their seats and they want their party to win. If, in some parallel universe, Gordon Brown did not exist, then this would still be happening.

[jstars2]

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Thanks, Dubya!

[BEagle]

"Tony and the president have a lot of work to do. He's still the Prime Minister of Great Britain......"

Who is - the poodle or Bush?

[Almost_done]

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The great new diary for the coming year. Something to help plan your life.

[jstars2]

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Proud owner displays pet
poodle for last time?

[Anotherpost75]

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[microlight AV8R]

"We now have a situation where America is so unpopular overseas that even in countries like Egypt and Jordan our approval ratings are less than 5 per cent. It is a shameful and pitiful state of affairs and I hold your British prime minister to be substantially responsible for being so compliant and subservient"

Former US President Jimmy Carter.

[seafuryfan]

I feel quite frankly appalled that while this country's servicemen and women are fighting wars and laying their lives on the line (and sometimes losing them), Labour politicians are squabbling like kids. And as for a grinning Gordon Brown leaving Downing street yesterday.....:mad:

'Not Fit For Purpose'- the lot of 'em.

[RileyDove]

Seafuryfan - I hope most servicemen and women consider themselves to be fighting for Queen and country - New labour and it's Lieutenants is hardly worth getting out of bed for !

[A2QFI]

New Labour and their hangers-on aren't even worth getting INTO bed for!

[brickhistory]

"We now have a situation where America is so unpopular overseas that even in countries like Egypt and Jordan our approval ratings are less than 5 per cent. It is a shameful and pitiful state of affairs and I hold your British prime minister to be substantially responsible for being so compliant and subservient"

Former US President Jimmy Carter.

It is not my place to comment on your country's political leadership, but to hold this most ineffective of US Presidents up as a standard to beat Blair with is ironic in the extreme!

Amazing how he's grown a set since leaving office! Too bad he didn't do much while IN office. (And since breaking the tradition of not criticizing succeeding Presidents.)

[zorab64]

QFIhawkman - I was there when Maggie and Dennis came to Port Stanley and I flew them round a few places on the island too. It may have been 24 years ago but she made a good morale-boosting visit to the troops.:ok:

[Blacksheep]

I was no great fan of Maggie; she had many of the same self-opinionated faults as Tony Bliar. But she was certainly nobody's poodle.

[MNBluestater]

The problem with you yanks is you never learn any lessons do you? You never bother to look back in history because you have very little of it. You will loose in Iraq not because the Islamists are a tough enemy, you will loose as you are stupid and never learnt from your mistakes in the 60's. Tell me this my friend, if you believe so much in liberty, why not sort out other nations that are falling apart before going for the ones that are capable of screwing the US economy?

Oh, it must be nice to work for a government that respects its forces, doesnt expect them to pay council tax or Income tax whilst away, gives them more phone minutes than its prisoners back home, doesnt screw with ROE for political reasons and LISTENS to its people.

Many voters in the US share your views completely. Bush BARELY won his election both times, the first time due to shenanigans in Florida, the second time in Ohio. This country is split politically right down the middle, and the Bush Oil Conglomerate/family and his oil-worshipping cronies were in this for waging an expensive war in which they could get richer and maybe get to the Iraq oil supplies and have military bases there. Well, the plans are crumbling to dust and I for one predicted it the day the war started.

Please realize that all Americans do not support our Cowboy Unintelligible Prezdet. If I hear him say "terrorishts" one more time I am going spontaneously combust.:}

[West Coast]

Were you one of the ones that promised to move to Canada?

If so pack up the volvo and your reruns of west wing and get a move on.

[Anotherpost75]

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According to one very close confidant of Tony Blair, the Prime Minister told friends: 'I have never known how mendacious he [Gordon Brown] was, how full of mendacity.'

Brown's behaviour showed he lacked the 'honesty, integrity and trustworthiness' required, the source added. - Guardian, 10 September 2006.

[buoy15]

Note that Bliar has visited the families of the 2 Israelis captured by Hezbollah - but not visited many, if any, of the families of UK personall killed out in the ME
As an aside, Ppruners need to do some serious reading - when Dubya came to power, his familly wealth stood at only a few million dollars - since then, through "contracts" in the Middle East, his 'background' brother has massaged the family fortune to about $16 billion!!!:suspect:
I can only imagine he convinced the locals to supply Wal-Mart with a year round supply of pork sausages and hamburgers for American Bar-B-Qs, at the same time, keeping the cost of a US gallon (4 litres) at $1.80 ( 90p )
If you've not been there - Americans still believe that there are 16 ozs to a pound weight (mass) , so there must be 16 ozs to a gallon - when there are 20! (specific gravity) !
Hencethe difference with pump delivery values and beer glass sizes
When I mentioned this to a fisherman (and RedNeck), he said " Your'e a Brit right?"
I said " Yes, the Pope is not a Catholic and the Mexicans put the first man on the Moon"
He said "Thats ridiculous"
So I said "Yes I agree, but a V12, 5 litre truck doing 12mpg, at $1.80 a gallon to go fishing 2 miles away is also ridiculous"
" No Sir, you don't understand - we always put the fish back, so we don't destroy the ozone layer!!"
Now I understand

[brickhistory]

As an aside, Ppruners need to do some serious reading - when Dubya came to power, his familly wealth stood at only a few million dollars - since then, through "contracts" in the Middle East, his 'background' brother has massaged the family fortune to about $16 billion!!!

.....at the same time, keeping the cost of a US gallon (4 litres) at $1.80 ( 90p )
If you've not been there - Americans still believe that there are 16 ozs to a pound weight (mass) , so there must be 16 ozs to a gallon - when there are 20! (specific gravity) !

Hencethe difference with pump delivery values and beer glass sizes
When I mentioned this to a fisherman (and RedNeck), he said " Your'e a Brit right?"
I said " Yes, the Pope is not a Catholic and the Mexicans put the first man on the Moon"
He said "Thats ridiculous"
So I said "Yes I agree, but a V12, 5 litre truck doing 12mpg, at $1.80 a gallon to go fishing 2 miles away is also ridiculous"



Right, thanks for explaining EVERY American for us. Seems you've hit all 300 million squarely on the head. Well done! We don't know our measurements, much less that there 'funny metrical' stuff y'all use...........

What is your source for Bush's wealth? $16B?! I think we'd have heard of that. Lord knows, the other side wouldn't waste any chance to have at the President.

$1.80 a gallon? Where? I'll damn sure drive my monster SUV there to buy it! Average currently is around $ 2.85-ish a gallon.

It is a wonderful thing that Britain has a nation full of thoughtful, erudite citizens and not filled with "Rednecks" like my own poor, pitiful country. "Chavs," I believe is one of the terms for a segment of your population perhaps not entirely at the top of their game? But that's different, I guess.

And for driving a V12 at no miles per gallon? First, where can I find one of those? A V12? Are you kidding me?! I have got to get one! Second, isn't great that I get to live in such a country? I truly am blessed. Seems a lot of your countrymen agree and if they don't live here fulltime, certainly spend a good part of the year here. Hmm, why is that?

Thank you again for explaining America. :D

[mlc]

My brother in law is married to a good 'ol Georgia girl. Having visited the State and her family, I don't think I've ever met such a hospitable lot anywhere in the world.

They are midly surprised to find that we think Blair is a complete :mad:

[BEagle]

"A V12? Are you kidding me?! I have got to get one!"

Errm, Jaguar (that's 'Jag-yoo-arr', not 'Jag-warr', by the way) first sold V12s in 1972. Available in the E-type (you called it the XK-E for some odd reason) and the XJ-12. And in the Daimler Double Six - don't know if that made it across the pond? Somehow I doubt it - too much class.

Also, Mercedes-Benz have had a V12 engine option in the SL and other cars for quite a few years.

And, of course, around 40 years ago, BRM were firing up their H16!!

V8? Some sort of vegetable juice, isn't it?

[brickhistory]

Mike,

Thanks! Just grabbed the Chav reference to refute another poster.

BEagle,

Copy all about the V12, however, in the SUV flavor, I didn't know of any, yet another poster felt compelled to lecture on the perils thereof.

Jaguar? While I can admire the eye candy of some of their past cars, in my own experience, brought one home as a surprise for Mrs. Brick. With tail between legs, back to the dealer I returned. Kept the Volvo instead....West Coast, can I stay in the US? :}

Regarding your "too much class" shot, I think the company is now DaimlerChrysler. Guess 'class' didn't pay the bills. Oh, come to think of it, who is the parent company of Jag-warr again?

[West Coast]

Brick
I suspect yer a gud god fearin, gun toten, commie hatin reeepuublican (how was that beagle?) so you can stay.

"a V12, 5 litre truck doing 12mpg"

Only five litre? Those cylinders must be awfully small. My 12 cylinder would displace at least 7 or so litres if I had one. You seem to have the pulse of 300 plus million Americans. You must be smart. What type of truck was it btw?

[BEagle]

How was it? Accurate, I'd say!

I don't know of a SUV with a V12 - but the truly mad Dodge SRT-10 pick-up might perhaps suit sir's requirements? A little 8.3 litre, 500 hp V10 'standard pick up truck' with a 0-60 in the low 5s, 150 mph+, no doubt to outrun Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane whilst letting out a rebel yell, it returns a mere 12 mpg highway, 9 mpg city (USG)........:eek:

No doubt you can get it with roof spots, 108 inch antenna, shotgun racks, one-eyed dog, giggling half-wit in the passenger seat drinking moonshine from a jam jar?

Gloriously non-PC - they should call it the Dodge Kyoto to really pi$$ off the enviro-fundamentalists!

The 'snob appeal' of the Double-Six was crazy. Same car as the XJ-12 but with different badging to appeal to those who considered the Jag-yoo-arr too common....:rolleyes:

Lousy unreliable things 20-30 years ago - but fine today. Back then the UK was at the mercy of trade unions, then Maggie took them on - and won. If only she'd stopped there and then instead of encouraging the yuppie-in-red-braces greed of the mid-80s which turned people away from Conservative government. Then the disaster of John 'It's good to be grey' Major's government gave a landslide victory to the slime of NooLabor and Tony-the-poodle who obediently trots across the pond with tongue hanging out whenever Mad George clicks his fingers....

But still not as bad as the grumpy Grn Brun.....