Bidding Adieu to an Interventionist

Hittu Saluja

If headlines can make heroes out of personalities, they can ruin them as well. For a decade Anthony Charles Lynton Blair made headlines from the Number 10 (10 Downing Street) by winning innumerable landmarks including completing three terms in office as Prime Minister. And now it is on the occasion of formally quitting corridors of power, that his persona has taken a beating. As per a poll conducted on completion of ten years in office, his trust graph has fallen from 66% in 1997 to 22%. Really, some people lose by winning. A “caring”, “competent” and “effective” leader on whom as many as 80% of people of the United Kingdom placed their trust ended up facing criticism and disbelief. Well, is this the sense of disillusionment for a leader who has lost the confidence of the masses or simply a need for change in the set-up? In Mr. Prime Minister’s own words, “nothing prepares you for the difficulty of being Prime Minister” or is this simply a mandate following Nature’s rule: “every rise hath a fall!” Political landmarks This rise was not an ordinary one. With no background in active socialism, Tony Blair made a speedy ascent through the ranks, being promoted first to the shadow Treasury front bench in 1984. Subsequently he was inducted in the Shadow Cabinet in 1988 where he was made Shadow Secretary of State for Energy. In 1989 he moved to the employment brief. In 1992 he was promoted to Shadow Home Secretary by Labour leader John Smith. There he famously assured his tough stand ‘on the crime and the causes of crime’. He stunningly swept the 1997 polls and ended 18 years of Conservative rule. Blair came to power as the youngest Prime Minister in Britain since 1812 and has the unusual achievement of having won three consecutive mandates. He joined office with the promise to re-energise the state of United Kingdom and lead it to a better future, unlike Tories previous rule. Under his dynamic leadership, he brought in the new Labour agenda that was more progressive and liberal. Standing apart from the Leftist polity he concentrated in strengthening markets and pulling Britain out of economic recession. He emphatically contributed towards the restoration of peace in Northern Ireland between the traditionally clashing Protestants and Catholics inking the Easter Treaty in 1998. He extended the democratic political process by granting greater autonomy for Scotland and Wales. Blair is lauded for bringing the 2012 Olympic games to London though exact dates are yet to be finalized and formulating progressive domestic policies that have made Britons wealthier. It is said that Blair raised the country from the corrupt rule of the Tories and reclaimed a period of unparalleled general prosperity in Britain. An eloquent Premier He has the rare distinction of being one of the few prime ministers in several generations who could talk to the British public eloquently, directly and more as a friend than a political leader. He fondly acclaimed, "Most people who have dealt with me, think I’m a pretty straight sort of guy". One of his own friend-turned-foes credits Premier Blair for peace in Northern Ireland, hospitals and schools, high employment and economic stability. Fading aura Despite these achievements what exactly turned the table and changed the heart of the people who loved his style, trusted his intentions, believed in his dynamic leadership and supported him for ten years? Possibly their stunning and cool Prime Minister has become out of touch, untrustworthy and overly concerned with spin. Political experts maintain that he has remained in office for too long to become conclusively disenchanted with his leadership. It is commented that Blair, like Margaret Thatcher before him, has repeated the fatal mistake of going on too long. 54-year-old Blair is termed as “tired” and “out of form”. So should that imply that with time his charm and legacy has worn out and unintentionally, he has done damage to his party? Disappointed pro-Labour commentator Polly Toynbee commented, "Labour has suffered a catastrophic loss of trust”. His own rival David Cameron claims, “Blair had begun his mandate full of expectations, but was ending it full of disappointment. He will stay remembered as a good leader of the Labourists, but not as a good prime minister.” Blair’s biggest mistake This diminished aura of the British Prime Minister is the result of his foreign policy especially his pro-Bush approach on the issue of Iraq that could not outweigh his booming economic policy. Some mocked at him as George Bush’s “poodle” and others were surprised at his move. This can be called Tony Blair’s biggest mistake. His blind-support to the misjudged American invasion showed how clouds of mediocrity covered his spellbinding eloquence. Then the big question is what could be the reason that a progressive pro-market leader got deviated from his goal of a prosperous Britain to an apprehensive, cynical pusher. Was he feeling the sense of insecurity that the West was a probable target of militants’ ire? His close associates agree as they were conveyed about the crisis that the West might face just after 9/11. In oblivion he uttered, “Before Sept. 11, I was already reaching for a different philosophy in international relations from a traditional one that has held sway…and you don’t interfere unless it threatens you, or breaches a treaty, or triggers an obligation of alliance." So one can say that George Bush should not alone be be targeted for his alleged ensnaring influence on Blair in the Iraq debacle. He was pretty sure of what he was talking about. His associate believes, “He is convinced that if we don’t tackle weapons of mass destruction now, it is only a matter of time before they fall into the hands of rogue states or terrorists. If George Bush wasn’t pressing for action on this, Blair would be pressing George Bush on it." His eager steps to overcome this insecurity became quite apparent in his words when he advocated for the need to settle the Israel-Palestine conflict, “Here it is that the poison is incubated”. And here he made the mistake. He tried to oblige the West by contributing in spreading community specific hatred. He forgot about the countless Muslims residing in his own country. He forgot that his more prosperous, healthier, better-educated nation also has disaffected young Muslim men— naturally, they felt hurt and neglected. He apparently questioned its multicultural identity. A former Conservative member and a political columnist mark Mr Prime Minister’s legacy as well as biggest mistake as Iraq. He says, “His enduring legacy in terms of British public life, will, I’m afraid be Iraq…Iraq will be engraved on Tony Blair’s political tomb-stone when the history books of his premiership are written.” Corruption charges On the domestic front he stained his hands with a scam. He came to power pledging for a “purer than pure” government but entangled himself in a "cash-for-honours" scam. It was the first time that a serving Prime Minister was interrogated by the Scotland Yard or any probing agency. The probe sparked revelations that the Labour Party was given secret loans ahead of last year’s election. Some donors were subsequently nominated for honours. All this is more than enough to end the Blair-led euphoria. 10 Downing Street is the historic testimonial indicating the weakening of the Blair government’s epicenter. Recently he suffered losses in local elections. He has also lost control of the Scottish Parliament where he ardently preached autonomy. These are the moments of renunciation and introspection for Tony Blair. Time is a great tutor. Yesterday’s chic rocker turned youngest Prime Minister following his socialist democracy is no more a hot favourite. In fact he is the one who has been shown the door by his own associate Finance Minister Gordon Brown. Reluctance to quit Power tastes good and for Blair it was too good to leave. He is believed to be in a denial about leaving Number 10. It was only when his inevitable fall came in the form of a threat of impeachment that he gave it a thought. It was very much suspected that he would face a vote of no confidence in his own Labour party conference. That is why he chose to end any remote possibility to leave in embarrassment. After long speculations, reluctantly, he indicated his exit by the 2007 annual Labour meet. Though quite evident, he signaled about his successor, “In all probability a Scot will become PM of the United Kingdom, someone who has built our economy into one of the strongest in the world, and who, as I have said many times before, would make a great PM for Britain." Amidst noisy demonstration outside Labour’s special leadership conference in Manchester, with feelings of queasiness, he announced his exit in words, “Today I announce my decision to step down from the leadership of Labour Party…Hand on my heart, I did what I thought was right…” He knows that nothing is permanent and he has already played his part. He came; he ruled and faced the repercussions. Let’s hope for Britons as well as for their outgoing Prime Minister, “I think that when I go, obviously, a lot of the static and unpopularity that will attach itself to any Prime Minister after 10 years goes with me”. Change of Heart Blair`s farewell has been fussily planned with a well-organized tour to all friends and foes. He also held a long talk with Pope Benedict at the Vatican, a stop on his farewell tour that`s fuelled rumours he plans to become a Roman Catholic. Well, may we all know the reason of this change of heart from an Anglican Prime Minister to Catholic after retirement? The answer is simple that Blair`s wife Cherie is a Roman Catholic, the couple`s children have attended Catholic schools and though not adopted officially, Blair routinely attends Catholic rather than Anglican services. It would have been a history if he would have done it during his Premiership because no Prime Minister in the history of Britain has ever been a Catholic. Mr Blair may have been reluctant to convert during his 10-year tenure of office for fear of a potential conflict with his role in appointing Anglican bishops. He has not admitted it, perhaps because if he publicly confesses that he had been guilty of all manner of sins and wickedness including his mistake in misjudging Iraq, glorifying war and praying for forgiveness then that might possibly amount to what they are calling a triumph for the Roman Catholic Church. People in fact utter that perhaps Pope may forgive him for all that he’s done but not Britons. Blair’s new innings Several theories have been drawn related to Mr Blair’s future. According to a White House official, Mr Blair has discussed with President Bush and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the possibility to become a Middle East envoy. "Obviously Prime Minister Blair has been very active and deeply involved in Middle East peace issues throughout his prime minister-ship," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. So is this the argument given for his new role as Mr Palestine? According to information, Blair would not represent just US in the Middle East but would be an envoy of the quartet (US, EU, UN and Russia). Future challenges are not less exigent for the outgoing Prime Minister of Britain, as his dubious attitude for Iraq and Israel has made him unpopular with many Palestinians. Now it’s entirely on him to prove himself as a successful diplomat. For this, Mr Blair has to come out of his Conservative shell of looking at the world from his great friend Bush’s binoculars. Let’s hope that this stadium rock-star strums a song of peace in his new role.