Unmissable
I really don’t think any of us would have noticed or cared much whether Bliar turned up or not in Basra on a pre-Christmas “morale boosting” visit to the troops he (or his successor) is intent on decimating in his ongoing “rationalization” of UK forces, once out of his present little spot of bother. Certainly his non-attendance would have made not the slightest jot to events in that city.
In the event, his attendance drew our attention, yet again, to his nauseating smugness, lying hypocrisy, cant and the utter cynicism of his latest trawl for good press and eye-catchingly “caring and compassionate” photo opportunities.
Further, we are all scenting “blood in the water” and our baser predatory instincts are rising like sap in a late spring. You may well be aware of the following, recently culled from the Spectator:
• Bliar failed to secure the assent of the House for the proposal to detain terror suspects for 90 days without charge.
• Bliar’s pension reforms, proposed by protégé Lord Turner, were recently contemptuously demolished by the Treasury (prop. G. Brown).
• Government has now backed down on its proposal to abolish juries in complex fraud trials.
• Bliar’s Racial Hatred Bill has been substantially rewritten in the Lords as the government is terrified of New Labour rebels and is therefore happy to collaborate quietly in the emasculation of its own proposals.
• Bliar is in full retreat on his proposals to reform disability benefit, which were announced in ringing tones in his party conference speech in the autumn.
• Charles Clarke’s (Bliar groupie Home Secretary, in case any of you have forgotten) proposals for identity cards, currently being torn to shreds in committee in the House of Lords, are due to be debated on the floor of the Commons in the New Year.
• The Education Bill, expected in the spring, looks doomed, for all David Cameron’s earnest protestations of support.
In short, Tony Bliar has lost the ability to govern and the smart money is on him being out by next Christmas, so grandstanding in Basra this Christmas is a bit like fiddling while Rome burns - and attracts the same contempt.
No visit would have been better than any visit!