Pick a Prime Minister

[Jourdain11]

Since it seems to be the widely-held view that Boris Johnson hasn't done a great job of handling this crisis, which recent (last 30 years) former PM do you think would have done the best?

Margaret Thatcher
John Major
Tony Blair
Gordon Brown
David Cameron
Theresa May

Throw in the LOTOs for good measure:

Jeremy Corbyn
Ed Miliband
(David Cameron)
Michael Howard
Ian Duncan Smith
William Hague
(Tony Blair)
John Smith
Neil Kinnock

Throw in Ken Clarke for good measure, since he was almost LOTO twice and held two of the Great Offices of State.

I am genuinely curious as to what people think! My guess would be Blair or Thatcher. Not sure if I could cope with the gushy Blair speeches every day, personally, though.

Thatcher.
She was a leader and not in it for party political popularity points.

Not saying I agreed with her politics but she was a no nonsense leader.

I did read that Boris ( real name Alexander ) chose his middle name at Eton as it was more quirky. His family call him Al.

Honestly, any of the first four, with a preference for Brown. But even Thatcher would have been better than the current shower.

"Not in for party political popularity points "
Laugh My Fucking Arse Off at that one.

do they remember what she was like???

Vividly. I hated her ideology and her ruthlessness but the latter would actually be an asset right now.

Also I do not feel that ANYTHING about her would be an asset to our country or people right now. A hard faced, unfeeling, merciless cow to be sure.

@Ninjava

John Smith, by a country mile.

Haven't RTFT. This is true.

@MarshmallowManiac

Also I do not feel that ANYTHING about her would be an asset to our country or people right now. A hard faced, unfeeling, merciless cow to be sure.

Yes, she was. Absolutely she was. But she was also someone who had the courage of her convictions and the determination to carry them through. That’s the kind of tough leadership we need now. Not someone with no moral compass who does whatever his puppet master dictates is expedient.

I also find it interesting to imagine what lockdown might have looked like under different PMs.

I have a feeling that Thatcher, Major and possibly Ken Clarke would have opted for a short, sharp lockdown. Possibly local lockdowns and absolute travel restrictions from Day 1. I wonder if Thatcher would've used the military.

They would be desperate to avoid the economic consequences of necessitating a long lockdown.

I feel that Cameron, Miliband or Brown would be more tuned into international events and would've acted sooner. I think that Brown would have insisted on quarantine from international flights and that all three would have poured everything into test and trace, rather than the grand gesture of setting up hospitals.

Yes I would agree we need strong, positive leadership atm, maybe I would differ on the chosen techniques but yes agree that Alexander Boris de Pfeffel is not the 'man' for the job ever.

Actually I feel that Thatcher's indignant leadership is not dissimilar to Trump's idiotic efforts in the US, as I totally believe that she would do whatever she wanted regardless of whatever the public felt. A bit like Boris's really

Do you think Blair would want to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the States even with Trump as president? 😂

Thatcher, scientist not afraid to upset people
Brown, solid reliable character
Clarke, experienced, sensible, pragmatic
Anybody but Johnson would be 4th.

I find it interesting that the names being put forward most strongly, from left and right, are/were conviction politicians.

Cameron and May were more pragmatic and Johnson does what's best for Johnson, even down to Brexit which he is alleged to have backed for his own ends rather than because he believed it was the right thing to do.

I've so far been impressed with Kier Starmer, but he doesn't strike me as being an idealogue. .

I agree that Brown or Cameron or Starmer would be more in tune to international events early on and maybe more like France’s Macron or Germany’s Merkel who’ve made damn sure that there is PPE production in their own country and are encouraging a China-light future for consumerism, particularly any geopolitical safeguardings like own drugs, ports and nuclear power (no to the new silk road). Don’t think any of them would have gone round shaking hands with people when all of Asia knew this was reckless and absolutely the last thing to do for SARS like stuff. You can wash your hands as much as you like but if your population isn’t masked you’re going to get massive infections from COVID on days 1-5. It’s pretty simple. Hong Kong closes schools every couple of years for a lengthened CNY holiday at the slightest wiff of a novel virus. Brown or Cameron or Starmer would have “got” this with the click of a finger. Buffoonery is the last thing needed for England at this time of Brexit, dissent between the 4 nations and a pandemic. The English (and British) desserve a safer pair of hands.

It's a bit controversial but Sir Keir Starmer looks like a man who doesn't really want to do it! I can't put my finger on why but his ok at the forensic type of questioning ( obviously ) but the other things he seems a bit ' going through the motions'
I do like him , but I'm worried his background will put people off voting for him.
The next election is miles off and if the chancellor gets to be the next leader in time then it could more of a battle to get elected.
Depends what else happens with corona virus. The contact tracers will be the next thing that will be a challenge and getting the children back completely.
Sorry to derail.

I've so far been impressed with Kier Starmer, but he doesn't strike me as being an idealogue.

Principled though.

You could all just be grateful decent financial support has been offered

Try working in entertainment or hospitality, and then think again.

Thatcher gets my vote. Though bear in mind the lockdown has in fact only been possible because of the bloody internet (without this, nobody would be WFH, and children would have carried on going to school, which is what should have happened) - so what she might have done can only really be seen in a very different context.

Though bear in mind the lockdown has in fact only been possible because of the bloody internet

Good point

@SpringFan

I was just amazed when I heard a cabinet minister yesterday saying that it is OK to borrow to pay for furloughing etc and then borrow more to fund the public works announced in the Budget- because when the work is done, it will enable the economy to flourish. But wasn't that the problem with Labour and Lib dems manifestos at the last 2 or 3 elections ??? They were being profligate to borrow to spend on public works?

I heard this - I was shouting at the radio! I can't remember who it was but he was talking like he'd invented Keynesian economics -infuriating!

Under Blair the organisation and comms would have been excellent, and both are essential. I agree with whoever said he was a bit gushy in his early years, but he was seen as charismatic and people would have understood his message and got on board with it.

Gordon Brown would have been similarly excellent and on top of all the detail. He would have had a clear strategy in place but comms wouldn't have been as strong and, during his tenure, there was a tendency to pick at everything he did and said, so if the pandemic had happened then that would have been a problem. However, if he could swoop in now and take over that would be great! The bigot interview was infuriating - he tried to reason with the woman, who was having none of it, then had to go with just being polite/humouring her about her grandson no one cares about. Then had a vent in the car (obviously stupid mistake about the mic) and got slated for being rude/not rude enough. Yes, it was symptomatic of people not understanding people's concerns about immigrants but that wasn't just on him and, yes, she was a bigot.

Thatcher would have had a plan and her scientific understanding would have been a benefit but I'm not convinced she would have put people at the heart of her strategy. I would find it frightening being led by her at a time like this, as I feel frightened now but for different reasons.

I agree just about anyone would have been better than Johnson, with the probable exceptions of Howard and IDS. Cameron is glib and lazy, though not to the extent Johnson is. I don't think he'd have done a great job but wouldn't have been this bad. I think May would have been better in terms of being arsed to actually create a strategy and stick to it.

Do you think Blair would want to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the States even with Trump as president? I think he would.

Of course he would have. He was great pals with the George F Bush and the totally bent Berlusconi. He doesn't give a shit who he stands next to if they've got money and power.

Thatcher would have had a plan and her scientific understanding would have been a benefit but I'm not convinced she would have put people at the heart of her strategy

Agreed. Thatcher would have seen people as expendable - you only have to look at her stance on Aids in the early 80s to know that.

Could we have a special pandemic joint council of past leaders? A few old heads with recent experience of dealing with different crises and no party politics or ulterior motives involved.

Blair
Brown
Cameron
May

Basically just some grown ups