Britannist

Lord (David) Owen, former Foreign Secretary in the Callaghan Labour Government and who went on to form the pro-EU Social Democrat Party (SDP breakaway) from the Labour Party, has criticised Blair for supporting the european single currency (euro).

Speaking on Andrew Neil’s Straight Talk on BBC News 24 Television at 1.35 am and 1.52 am on 19.11.2006, Lord Owen – who never joined the europhile Liberal ‘Democrat’ party (unlike most SDP members) and who sits in the Lords as an Independent – said Blair (when still Leader of the Opposition) tried to get him to re-join Labour.

Lord Owen recalled “In the Summer of 1996 he spoke with me. I listened to him and on the subject of europe he was naïve about the EU, passionate about wanting to join the euro and enthusiastic about the EU ‘project’. He asked me to re-join Labour but I couldn’t due to his pro-euro views.”

Lord Owen added “We must not have the euro we must be able to adjust our interest rates to changing circumstances. I could not leave Labour (as I did in 1981 to become a member of the SDP) only to re-join to and have a major disagreement with them (the Blairites in Labour) over ‘europe’ within a year.”

Further explaining his views on the EU now, Lord Owen said “I have never been in favour of a tightly nit europe. I am in favour of the EU but it does too much. The latest mistake is the pretence of wanting to have an EU Foreign Minister. We can’t have a single EU defence or foreign policy. But we can have a common defence policy as long as it doesn’t undermine NATO too much.”

Lord Owen also stated “Iraq is the worst British foreign policy blunder since the First World War. A lot of the mistakes of Suez have been made again. I supported British troops fighting the Falklands war but still asked for a Commons enquiry. Mrs. Thatcher – to her credit – allowed one to be held while the Falklands ‘war’ was still on. The findings of that public enquiry were held after the dispute had ended. 80% of the British public want an enquiry on Iraq. Serious mistakes have been made over Iraq.”

Of Blair, Lord Owen commented “Blair is hubristic and has been from 2001 – post-Kosovo. He seemed to think that he had won the ‘war’ in Kosovo. Blair started to believe in himself and his own decisions. He is running 10 Downing Street like the White House. He needs to be brought down to real life and reality. My daughter says he is like an actor along with Bush. They even walk the same. Blair will never get trust back after Iraq. There are no senior serving officers who trust Blair; no diplomats who trust Blair and very few (UK) parliamentarians who do. Blair is hanging on (in power) like a limpet and is damaging Brown (the Labour Chancellor who hopes to succeed him as Labour leader and Prime Minister). Blair should surprise us and go (resign as Prime Minister) over Christmas 2006.”

So, Lord Owen left Labour in 1981 because it was (under the leadership of Michael Foot) “too anti-EU” and then refused to re-join Labour (under the leadership of Blair) because it was “too pro-euro.”

arden forester

So said Lord Owen. Seems quite a lot that get an earbashing from Blair think the same, on loads of subjects. Peter Hitchens says Blair is vacuous. I'd say so! :roll:

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Britannist

I must admit - it is quite disturbing that someone as naive as Blair who so obviously lacks depth and any reasonable degree of intelligence can actually get to be Prime Minister of these great islands.

SGK

Name a world leader who is not.

harryaldridge

Yes. Blair came to politics late and enetered parlaiment in his early 30's. He became leader in '94, addressed the bilderberg conference in '95 and was elected prime minister in '97. In addition Blair's written letter to then labour leader Michael Foot, shows Blair's ramblings are similar to a 20yr old student trying to define their beliefs.

Cameron is a freemason, he entered parliament in 2001, has become leader and is likely to become prime minister in 2009/10.

Ming will leave in the near future and a leadership election will pick a young-ish new leader with equally little experience or depth.

The common theme here is lack of conviction or belief. The 'masters' can manipulate them easily and push their agenda of EU integration, World Government, Corporatism replacing demcoracy etc etc.

Anyone else notice the all too coinciedental similarities?

mkpdavies

Yep, they are puppets alright. Zero personal morals or integrity, willing to push whatever agenda the people promising them power tell them to do.

Political whores to a man.

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Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

arden forester

Seems to me that there are two types of leadership. Margaret Thatcher's conviction led style and the consensus style of John Major. Under Blair we have neither. He has a bunker style leadership from No 10 and all policies have his fingers on them.

Listening to him this morning in Afghanisan I would think it hard for a weasel, a rabbit, or a sheep in wolf's clothing to decide which of them he was imitating! :roll:

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Britannist

He is a ham actor. And the script writers have no more new lines for him.

Britannist

Are you sure?