No Fanfare for Blair

Sydney Morning Herald, 8 May: Blair cuts deals and reshuffles his pack

As a deliberate (temporary) distraction from the AcidFlask furor back home, I decided to glance yonder west.

So Blair has been re-elected for a third term.

This time, though, it wasn't as much of a landslide as it was in 1997 and 2001.

Analysts say it's because of the people's anger over Britain's participation in the war in Iraq. Apparently, it had to do with the very coincidental timing, in the weeks leading up to elections, of a leak in classified documents challenging the legality of the war. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone though, least of all Blair.

What I find interesting - actually, impressive - is the extent to which the British people are expressing their dissatisfaction with Blair's alignment of foreign policy with the US. The poll results, suffice to say, have humbled Blair enough to (promise to) heed their very clear message and focus more on domestic issues instead.

However, I cannot say that his proposed policies look promising: new controls on immigration, national ID cards 'to control terrorism' (yay to the next police state, only after China and Singapore, of course), and - get this - further privatisation of UK's health and education. Interesting, coming from a 'centre left' leader.

At least, this now means Blair won't be able to touch Iran and Syria, even if a relief operation in Darfur goes ahead.

Also, Michael Howard from the Conservative Party has indicated stepping down. Good decision. One Howard down, one more to go.

The best thing to come out of all this, I think, is the effectiveness of the Brits in collectively telling Blair to stop kissing Bush's blood-smeared ass. An electoral social movement, if I could say so.

Hurrah for democracy.


Technorati: UK politics, Blair, UK elections, current affairs