Every now and then I remember exactly why I dislike Tony Blair so much

[Caligula]

Like now, when he can't bring himself to comment on Saddam Hussein's execution.

Even Dubya has commented on it, FGS. What is the matter with that pusillanimous creep, our PM? Is he really so afraid of offending someone by saying the wrong thing? Why can't he comment?

Yuk yuk yuk yuk yuk, he's horrid.

There, feel a bit better now I've got that off my chest.

I wouldn't be too sure dinny.

The GBP will probably think it will all be different under Gordy (that man makes me shudder)

Don't personally feel Cameron was the right leader for Tories either.

Regards TB although I really hate what he's done I still think he has charisma

If you're not going to vote, go to the polling station and return a blank voting form - at least that way you're making the point that you're not voting for anyone, rather than just not bothering at all. Or better still, stand for office as an independent. I have a lot of admiration for Trish Law for doing just that - standing as an independent for her late husband's seat in the Welsh Assembly (and what a waste of public money that particular body is, but that's another thread!). If a (formerly) mining valley has voted to get rid of new labour as its representative, that says something about new labour.

I agree with Nearlythree about tax credits, and pension credits. It's a system that appears to be generous, but it is so complicated a lot of people who may be entitled don't bother applying, thus saving the treasury money. Those who do apply have no way of working out what they are entitled to, and way too many people have had demands to pay money back, because they were allegedly overpaid - the amount they received having been calculated by the inland revenue in the first place, not by the recipient. Also, a friend of mine realised that she was financially better off through tax credits when she went part time and worked 8 hours per week less - what kind of warped system pays people not to work, thus reducing tax revenue while increasing tax credit payouts???

i would spoil my vote if i lived in france or somewhere that counted spoiled ballot papers at the end

quite honestly, i just dont want to encourage them anymore
and aloha, finally someone who hates him as much as myself
and yes, harold shipman is dead

If she turned in a blank voting form she would not only be making a point that nobody would notice she would be losing her voice?

i dont care anymore whether am lumped in with the 'dont knows, dont cares or could be bothered cause it was raining' just dont want to play along with them anymore
feel that if the sufferagettes were still around they would be fighting for a more real type of democracy than this

What voice though ? Do we really have a voice ? I actually voiced myself silly saying I don't wish to go to war in Iraq or Afghanistan. Did anyone take any notice ?

yellowrose; me too, and yeh, a big fat load of good it did too!
but we will pay the bill and live the horrific consquences of what has happened as a nation
not much of a choice really, sadly

so who did all you Blair/labour haters vote for in the last election?

me - green & independant who impressed me (two ballots, one election)

to answer your question Caligua

I like him for the reasons that morningpaper gave

Among other things I like him for increasing individual rights in the workplace (eg minimum wage, extending maternity leave, increased rights to flexible working, increased rights for part-time workers, time off for parents of disabled children, paternity leave). The Tories broke the unions, there was no way back from that, but as individual employees we have far more rights than we ever did thanks to this govt

I admire him for never saying he was wrong over the war in Iraq. If he had said that it was a mistake and he was sorry he would have really lost my respect - it would have just been a cheap vote-winner for the sake of PR and an insult to the soldiers who gave their lives. He said he thought it was the right thing to do and he stood by that decision. That was a very tough thing to do in the face of all the baying for an apology.

and I like him because, what the fuck, has everyone forgotten Margaret Thatcher? And the succession of lame-ass opposition leaders that the Tories just batted off like flies off for all those years?

cappucino ..dont you know who the first person was that tony blair invited into 10 downing st?

margaret thatcher!

he's her protege really..just keeping up the good work..
and oh, yeh dont forget to mention all the other good stuff he's done:

secured his own pay and pension whilst we can rot in old age poverty

lied lied lied and had no guts to admit it
allowed our kids to eat absolute pigswill in schools

messed and messed and tinkered with school system that he and other ministers would never allow their own children to attend

increased gambling / alcohol laws
made no attempt to update drugs laws though

knee jerk reaction policies from spine less thought less government

oh, and lies, lots of them from peerages scandal to an unfinished war total confirmed dead to date 600,000
yea, trust me tony, my arse

me? I voted Tory

I voted Lib Dem at the last election - would vote Green but in our 'democracy' they can't afford to field a candidate here.

Suzy, I totally agree with you - pensioners are worse off and people like myself have had our private pensions rendered worthless. We have an education system that allows a GCSE in Travel and Tourism (sample question: why might a family benefit from booking a table in advance in a resturant?) to have the same 'value' as one in History or Geography. I feel that my children' future has become less safe not only because of our bone-stupid foreign policies but the encouragement of the binge-drinking culture. The NHS has been so badly mis-managed that when I was in hospital having ds they were sending home post-section women whose babies hadn't established feeding because they needed the beds - a ward has been permanently closed since I had dd1 five yrs ago - and the mw shortage is so bad that most nights there was only one on duty. I could go on but I'll only get even more annoyed.

I think one of the most breath-taking things is the incompetence. During the fuel crisis, it was only because Tesco were present at John Prescott's meeting (because they are major fuel retailers) that anything was done - Prescott was all for letting it drag on and 'toughing it out' until Tesco pointed out that you need fuel to run the lorries to deliver food to the supermarkets and that within two days' the shelves would be empty. Apparently he totally lost it and showed himself to be a complete bully as well as an idiot.

I will vote at the next election, even if I have to vote for a fringe party to make a point. I have a suffragette for an ancestor, but more than that, I want to show solidarity with those around the world who are being denied the right to vote that I have.

politicians all slimeballs, I know that is a complete generalisation, but I do not trust them, they do not represent us, they represent the interest of big business, I don't want a tory government but feel we have got one with new labour, tony blair and david cameron are completely interchangeable as far as I can see

morning paper says :
" proper nhs

equal and living wages
safeguard to pensions
and the right not to be lied to "

surely we don't have this just now, the nhs was brought in by old labour, dentist anyone? on the nhs?

higher education? free to all? not anymore, you had that under old labour, many working class people in the past got degrees because of this - I cannot see my children being able to afford to go to university in the future

equal and living wages - the average income in scotland is? £19,000 or so, the average house price is? £102,000 at least,

"the right not to be lied to" I would love this to be true, but unfortunately lying seems to be one of the things politicians do best, has Tony been honest about the war in Iraq, the death toll there and in other countries like Afghanistan caused by an illegal invasion, innocent people,dying, women and children, ask their relatives what they think of tony and his like? there are also so many countries crying out for help,

being a part of this country, having tony blair represent me, does make me feel ashamed,

I come from a historically labour voting place, scotland, but I am sick of Labour and feel I have no choice when it comes to voting to actually make a difference

Is it true that if you dont vote at general elections the vote automatically goes to those already in power?

I know a politician and she is lovely, I woudl trust her absolutely. But she isn't in the Government - maybe it is only when not in power that a politician doesn't have to compromise their values too far?

No, pinot, it isn't. The vote is just wasted - so if you want change you have to let your vote count.

Do you remember when he had a personal crisis and nearly stepped down? Anyone heard the rumour as to what it was all about. I have heard from a reasonably good source what it was and wondered if anyone else had?

I do believe he thinks he is on a mission from God and as such can do know wrong. Too many religious people in politics I think.

well singsalot, someone has voted for them so by that measure, they do represent us

(and I know who you vote for Jools )

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singsalot..there could be big upset at next scottish executive election as snp might take balance of power now libs had alliance w/ labour...i know tartan tories etc..but would love the balance of power to shift and to see there faces in the land where they dont count the labour vote just weigh it..really hope so

drosphila would love to hear this rumour but just sad it wasn't enough to see him go.

the things i read about blairs say they are pea green envious of wealth they mix with and feel really poor next to their pals etc..awww shame really

it makes me feel that big business is the one in control and the rest a bit of a charade..

I abstained when they first came to power but have voted Independent, Lib Dem and Green in the last local elections. I will vote Independent or Green again.

The problem is our "first past the post" system which makes this country a 2 party state, just like the USA.

Sadly, just like the USA again, there is a serious dumbing down in our politics, so the cult of personality is beginning to take over our elections (do you prefer the look of Tony or David's hairdo and whose wife is wearing a nicer frock today, sort of thing ?)

Now ain't that great ?

socci, we are part of Europe I hear should we not agree with them our economic and cultural partners (but they said no and tony had already said yes)
so what if they did go on their own? what are we the coat tails cavalry?
we were under no aggression from iraq, it was / is an ILLEGAL war, i find this very scary.

the problem is for moment only one superpower after end of cold war; china will change balance soon and at least brazil, india etc..got balls to stand up for themselves re: trade agreements

A totalitarian state has 1 party, ours has 2.