Tony Blair Mark Two.

[Ianto.W.]

Where to now Mr Blair? president of the biggest public nuisance ever designed by man, The European Union, The largest money waster in the world. Just the ticket for you old boy join the rest of the fat cat's and get fatter, just make sure you take Tony Booth's daughter with you 'Mrs Cheescake'. The most infamous speech in history will haunt you forever. "I did what I thought was right" the trouble is George Dubya Bush did your thinking for you!

[davo69]

gone had the mines gone had the unions bring back thatcher nothing left for her to ruin now

[Ianto.W.]

Originally Posted by davo69

gone had the mines gone had the unions bring back thatcher nothing left for her to ruin now

She were worse than him davo he was a tory with a Labour hat on, at least Thatcher admitted what she was a pure BITCH!

[davo69]

may be but were do we go from here 10 years over all i think he as done ok apart from letting bush put is hand up is backside

[Stanaccy]

To me the jury's out on Blair, yes there are a lot of negatives (Britain being a poodle to Bush, Iraq war, Afghanistan, Use of spin as a political tool, removal of socialism from the labour party).

However there are an awful lot of positives, Tax Credits, Northern Ireland, investment in the Public Services ((regardless of everyone on here spouting off about about how long they wait in hospitals) it's up to the Trusts where they spend the money)) Moving a large perecentage of people out of poverty, getting people back into work etc.

He has done more positives than any Prime minister I can remember, and if anyone mentions Thatcher just think of 3 million unemployed and interest rates at 12%.

[davo69]

well said stanaccy

[shakermaker]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

He has done more positives than any Prime minister I can remember, and if anyone mentions Thatcher just think of 3 million unemployed and interest rates at 12%.

I've been trying to articulate this for months to no avail.
Well said Stanaccy.

[Ianto.W.]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

To me the jury's out on Blair, yes there are a lot of negatives (Britain being a poodle to Bush, Iraq war, Afghanistan, Use of spin as a political tool, removal of socialism from the labour party).

However there are an awful lot of positives, Tax Credits, Northern Ireland, investment in the Public Services ((regardless of everyone on here spouting off about about how long they wait in hospitals) it's up to the Trusts where they spend the money)) Moving a large perecentage of people out of poverty, getting people back into work etc.

He has done more positives than any Prime minister I can remember, and if anyone mentions Thatcher just think of 3 million unemployed and interest rates at 12%.

I agree with you, but just by accident he was in the right place at the right time, once Thatcher had cleared the decks there was no one in the tory party to fill her boots, so the only way was UP any fool could have done it.

[grannyclaret]

Goodbye Tony,,,,,,i liked you if nobody else did..and Cherie...
You never miss the water till the well runs dry..We will soon see ....

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

((regardless of everyone on here spouting off about about how long they wait in hospitals) it's up to the Trusts where they spend the money))

Absolute and utter claptrap. What about the £12.4 BILLION wasted on an unwanted IT system, which was launched as "Tony's project". Much of that money could have been spent on front-line staff, vital equipment, new hospitals etc, then perhaps those of us who "spout off" wouldn't have to wait so long. Instead, the money has been squandered and much of it has ended up lining the pockets of private companies. And the Trusts had no say whatsoever in that.

Why don't you get your facts right before you come on here "spouting off"?

[Mancie]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Absolute and utter claptrap. What about the £12.4 BILLION wasted on an unwanted IT system, which was launched as "Tony's project". Much of that money could have been spent on front-line staff, vital equipment, new hospitals etc, then perhaps those of us who "spout off" wouldn't have to wait so long. Instead, the money has been squandered and much of it has ended up lining the pockets of private companies. And the Trusts had no say whatsoever in that.

12.4 billion is a hell of alot of money... but not when compared to the untold 100's of billions of north sea oil money that was squanderd, given away to big business and used to prop up the unemployment/social security payouts that a nation with offically more 3 million unemployed and over 7 million cliaming unemplyment related benifits.... A one off windfall of 100's of billions that will never return.
The National Health Service has improved for the first time in living memory.. no doubt about it.. how much it has cost and how much money has been badly allocated is a different matter.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Mancie

12.4 billion is a hell of alot of money... but not when compared to the untold 100's of billions of north sea oil money that was squanderd, given away to big business and used to prop up the unemployment/social security payouts that a nation with offically more 3 million unemployed and over 7 million cliaming unemplyment related benifits.... A one off windfall of 100's of billions that will never return.

And that somehow justifies the billions mis-spent in the NHS over the last few years? Same old story from you Blair apologists - you can't justify the present, so let's retreat into the past.

Tony's lot poured a heck of a lot of money into the NHS (raised from our taxes, of course). It presented a great opportunity to really transform the health service...an opportunity that has, to a large part been squandered. Apart from the little matter of the wasted £12.4 billion, so much money has been thrown away on pointless bureacracy, policy initiatives, quangos, committees and all the other gimmickry that is so beloved of this headline-obsessed government. Just ask anyone who actually works in the NHS. If the government had actually thought about how to spend the money wisely on front-line services, instead of blindly rushing from one spin-making stunt to the next, the health service could now be so, so much better. Blair has sold the British people short over this and I, for one, will never forgive him for it. Still, why involve yourself in tiresome arguments about the present, Mancie? Much better to discuss what Thatcher was doing in 1986!

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

However there are an awful lot of positives, Tax Credits

You regard the Tax Credits system as a positive? Do you ever take your rose-tinted glasses off?

Yet again, another of Blair's wasted opportunities. The system was initially conceived to give extra money to the less well-off and motivate people to go back to work - excellent aims. However, 4 years on, it's the same old story - the system is so complex and was so poorly implemented that hundreds of thousands of families have been overpaid to the tune of £4 billion. Naturally, those who received the money genuinely thought they were entitled to it and have spent it. Now, HM Revenue & Customs are chasing those same people for repayments, causing genuine hardship and distress. Still, I suppose those who dare to complain are just "spouting off" and should be grateful to bask in the reflected glory of the Blair era, shouldn't they, Stanaccy?

[jambutty]

I’m with you Wynonie Harris with just one extra point.

Blair’s legacy will be putting the NHS and education into a massive debt for the next 30 years with the PFI and thus keeping the poor service at the current level for that time.

Blair’s future? Maybe he should go to Hollywood and make a film or two. After all he has shown his credentials as an actor for the last 10 years and his farewell speech was pure Hollywood.

[grannyclaret]

My husband spent 5 weeks in hospital over xmas ,and the service was second to none...
If he had been in America or such , they would have left him to rot,if he wasent insured,,,, you cant call the N,H, S, to me......