News & Politics - Blair in Crisis

Lexis · 05-05-2006, 04:14 AM

Not sure how much you guys follow British politics but Blair's government seems to be falling apart - huge defeats in local elections, big scandels engulfing his top people, the mood of the country turning sharply against him...

Looks like Bush may be getting a new playmate sooner than expected.

Quote:

LONDON - Prime Minister Tony Blair fired his law and order chief Friday and chose a new foreign secretary in a wide-ranging Cabinet shuffle a day after his party took a pounding in local elections.

The Labour Party pulled 26 percent of the vote to the Conservatives 40 percent, a result that renewed calls from some quarters for the prime minister to step down.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke, embroiled in a politically damaging furor over the failure to deport foreign criminals, confirmed that Blair had removed him from office. Defense Secretary John Reid was moved to the Home Office, and Des Browne was promoted from chief secretary at the Treasury to secretary of defense.

Blair removed Jack Straw as foreign secretary, replacing him with Margaret Beckett, who had headed the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. She becomes the first woman to hold the job.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who admitted an affair with a secretary, will keep his title but was stripped of the responsibilities of his department, which include housing and planning.

"I felt that it was very difficult, given the level of genuine public concern, for Charles to continue" as home secretary, said Blair, who days earlier had defended Clarke as the right man to deal with the prisoner issue.

Clarke said he had turned down offers of other government posts. "I do not think it would be appropriate to remain in this government in these circumstances," Clarke said in a statement.

The shake-up appeared aimed at demonstrating Blair still holds a firm grip on his beleaguered government after weeks of negative headlines and scandal.

"It'll take far more than a reshuffle," Conservative Party leader David Cameron said. "What we need in this country is a replacement of the government."

Ms Carolyn · 05-05-2006, 05:23 AM

What exactly is the situation in Great Britain right now, that's causing the ruling party to tank like that in the polls? Any thoughts?

Lexis · 05-05-2006, 07:18 AM

Well, a whole lotta stuff has been causing problems here. Some of the more high profile ones include:

- in the last two weeks, the Deputy PM has admitted to a two year affair with a secretary and has been accused of sexually haressing another woman years ago.

- the Health Secretary wants to cut jobs in the National Health Service, some health authorities are hugely in debt and nurses are up in arms.

- Iraq. Three years on and people are still angry. The parents of some of the dead soldiers are well organised and won't let people forget the cost of the war. Furthermore, since a large portion of the country loathes George Bush, the perception that Blair is his puppy dog isn't helping.

- prisoners who were meant to be deported were released into the public after the end of their sentence.

And the leader of the opposition, Cameron, has been doing a good job at rebranding his right wing party has a moderate one with a focus on the environment and social justice.

Its not a good situation - our far, far right party the BNP (British National Party) doubled their council seats. A thoroughly unpleasent bunch of people who are sure that minorities are taking control of the country and are out to destroy our "Britishness."

**Avatar** · 05-05-2006, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexis

Its not a good situation - our far, far right party the BNP (British National Party) doubled their council seats. A thoroughly unpleasent bunch of people who are sure that minorities are taking control of the country and are out to destroy our "Britishness."

Look behind the numbers, though, and it's not *too* bad ... they lost seats in places like Bradford, and the only place they have more than three is in Barking & Dagenham, which has the problems you'd expect in East London, so I don't think it's neccessarily a sign of anything.

I think the biggest loser may well have been Sir Ming and his merry band of followers... they hardly made the strides they'd have liked and it seems like most of the voters disillutioned with Labour went to the Tories and not the Lib Dems.

And appearantly what Blair is doing now is putting people in his 'camp' in key positions to perhaps challenge Gordon Brown. I have a keen dislike for that man...

VU&NICO · 05-05-2006, 05:32 PM

The great Ken Loach had predicted that.

Lexis · 05-06-2006, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avatar

Look behind the numbers, though, and it's not *too* bad ... they lost seats in places like Bradford, and the only place they have more than three is in Barking & Dagenham, which has the problems you'd expect in East London, so I don't think it's neccessarily a sign of anything.

I'm a Londoner and it concerns me because this city is just so mixed and the idea that people here are electing them really worries me. You can see where it came from in Bradford, especially after the riots but here in London - there hasn't really been any huge racial trouble since Brixton, at least my memory.

Quote:

I think the biggest loser may well have been Sir Ming and his merry band of followers... they hardly made the strides they'd have liked and it seems like most of the voters disillutioned with Labour went to the Tories and not the Lib Dems.

Perhaps a case of buyers remorse for the Lib Dems? Charles Kennedy might be looking mighty good now.

Quote:

And appearantly what Blair is doing now is putting people in his 'camp' in key positions to perhaps challenge Gordon Brown. I have a keen dislike for that man...

I was out in the sunshine yesterday and all I could think about was how much I want Blair to get the hell out of Number 10. And as for stripping Prescott of his job but continung to pay his salary and perks - ugh.

Bring on Gordon Brown, maybe he could clear up this mess.


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