Tony Wades In!

[New Judge]

Ex-Labour PM Tony Blair has warned that David Cameron's pledge to hold a referendum on Britain's EU membership would cause economic "chaos".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32198938

Is this the same Tony Blair who told the nation that Iraq possessed “Weapons of Mass Destruction” and who, of course, presided over no chaos whatsoever when his administration increased public spending levels to unsustainable levels?

[Jackdaw33]

Yep, the one and only!

[ichkeria]

I don't remember any chaos while Blair was PM, whatever else you may think of him.

[lindapalmara]

Errr the Iraq War was pretty chaotic!!! There was no plan for afterwards!

[ichkeria]

As I say, I don't remember any economic chaos in the UK. Wars tend to be chaotic, but the US were in charge of that, as some people never fail to remind us, so that was their mess up

[Jackdaw33]

If it weren't for Blair and Bush's incursion into Iraq most of the Middle East, with the exception of Palestine, would probably be at peace.

[Peter Pedant]

// If it weren't for Blair and Bush's incursion into Iraq most of the Middle East, with the exception of Palestine, would probably be at peace //

to be honest Jackie I think they would still be at each others throats over somethng or another,
and it would be difficult to say whether there would be mmore or less chaos

[Peter Pedant]

// There was no plan for afterwards!//

worse really Linda - the plan was : there is no plan for afterwards

The idea that they got somewhere was that after defeat the whole of the Iragi infratructure would go on turning up for work
and everything would be tickety boo

anyone who said Rubbish, what utter crip ( that is the Foreign Office arabists nicknamed 'camels' were excluded from planning )

[lindapalmara]

Ich


//As I say, I don't remember any economic chaos in the UK. Wars tend to be chaotic, but the US were in charge of that, as some people never fail to remind us, so that was their mess up //

Blair and Co should have known what the plan would be. They were quick to fabricate the reasons for going to war. I can't believe you thought it should only be the US fault that everything went to rats in the aftermath. They discharged the Iraqi army so they went off, still with their weapons, t join the insurgents.. Blair wouldn't be on that platform today if the Chlcott report had been published by now.

So there was no chaos during the banking crisis in 2007-8?

[Gromit]

They were sustainable until the banks needed saving due to their recklessness.
Until 2008, the countey was doing great.

[New Judge]

Er… not quite right, Gromit.

It is convenient to cite the 2008 financial crisis as the start of the country’s current indebtedness. Of course the banking crisis led to a huge increase in government borrowing. However, the writing was on the wall well before 2008. In 1997 Labour inherited a public sector debt of £352bn. They managed to reduce this to about £320bn by 2001-02, but by 2007-08 it had grown to £527bn (an increase of well over 60% from 01/02). The annual deficit in 1997-98 was £7.8bn; in 2007-08 it was £40.3bn. This was at a time of booming economic growth but this growth was actually built on a pile of sand that was in reality massively increasing public and personal debt. The reason for this was nothing to do with the banking crisis, or the global recession. It was purely and simply down to the unadulterated profligacy and fiscal illiteracy of the Blair/Brown government. The 2008 crisis was, in fact, an ideal way to bury the bad news that the nation’s finances were already well out of control.

[jourdain2]

He sounded so old-fashioned! Arch, clipped phrases, the 'Bambi' effect. I could scarcely believe what I was watching/hearing. He is way past his sell-by date. I can't believe that anyone in the country - apart from under-20's who didn't know him when he was in power - could give his words credence (whether right or wrong - I actually think he is wrong) so he is a handicap to Labour's cause.

On the other hand, the Tory 'Now, now children, you've had your fun playing with UKIP, time to come home' approach has also not gone down too well here.

[naomi24]

jourdain2, where is 'here'?

[Jackdaw33]

Yorkshire, I believe.

[naomi24]

Oh, right. Thanks Jackdaw.

[hellywelly4]

What about the under-estimated number of immigrants, together with the reduction of GP's hours?

[jourdain2]

Sorry, all, 'here' is the lovely Yorkshire Wolds. East Riding, much painted by Hockney. :0) x

[anotheoldgit]

We all know that Miliband lacks so much in his oratory skills, but fancy choosing Tony Blair of all people to be one's mouthpiece, how can the nation believe ever again in what he says ?

[ToraToraTora]

yes judge, that's the fella!

[youngmafbog]

But it is so much easier for the left to blame the Bankers NJ. You should know that by now, why let little facts get in the way !

[mrs_overall]

I was very surprised to see Tony "Blood on His Hands" Blair finding time to make such a speech.
It must have killed him to take time off from his full time job making millions from suspect dictators around the world