Blairite

Overshadowed.

Random snippet of the day: I met a woman who wanted to divorce her husband because he was annoying. When asked to elaborate, she said he talked too much. In fact, he wouldn't stop talking. Mmhmm.

Hearing bits and pieces of updates on the budget speech - Budget for growth, yet borrowing has spiked and inflation continues to soarrrrr. Seems like it's only a matter of time now before BoE increases interest rates too. Best to get my pounds, stat. Don't wanna be paying triple for my school fees during my 2nd year!

You know, speaking of the Brits, I've alwaysss had a soft spot for Tony Blair. Haha. I was so sad when he had to step down as Prime Minister! I remember first seeing him on BBC giving a Labour speech and thinking, "There's something about this guy...". He spoke, not in a flat and serious monotone that you often hear politicians speak in, but with a charisma that drew you in and made you want to sit your ass down and listen. Then I discovered the PMQs and it was like finding my own secret stash of weed that I could indulge in whenever I wanted. The manner in which he handled himself during these weekly sessions was honestly something to behold - the heat generated during these forums could get really intense but he always handled it with such ease and grace.

In his 10 years as Prime Minister, while he might not have lived up to everyone's expectations, I thought he did a fairly awesome job, from increasing public spending on health and education, independence to BoE, his role in climate change, to his work in Northern Ireland. Yet whenever one speaks of Blair now, people always think of the war in Iraq - a blemish that has tainted his stint as the longest serving Labour PM. Once he decided to stand by the US and enter the war, there was no turning back. When no weapons were eventually found, he lost the public trust that he had painstakingly gained through his years in office, just like that. The post-Iraq heat resulted in an anti-Blair rage that eventually played a huge role in his stepping down. Despite the protests and calls that he should be tried as a war-criminal, he never backed down or apologised for the decision he made though. To the critics, he said,

"I know there's a bit of us that would like me to do a Hugh Grant in "Love Actually" and tell America where to get off. But the difference between a good film and real life is that in real life there's the next day, the next year, the next lifetime to contemplate the ruinous consequences of easy applause."

Despite the outcome in Iraq, one thing can't be denied - that Blair had served his country well. He wasn't perfect, but he had done well. Unlike Bush, he was articulate and charismatic and unlike many other politicians (who shall not be named) he was also a family man with a strong moral streak (I know many would beg to differ, but it's my blog damnit.). In his resignation speech, he summed up,

"Politics may be the art of the possible but, at least in life, give the impossible a go. So, of course, the vision is painted in the colors of the rainbow, and the reality is sketched in the duller tones of black, white, and gray. But I ask you to accept one thing - hand on heart, I did what I thought was right. I may have been wrong. That's your call. But believe one thing if nothing else - I did what I thought was right for our country."

Having already left office for 4 years, he remains fairly active in the scene. While he didn't get the coveted role as President of the EC, he became more involved in the Mid-East region and also his Faith Foundation. He has certainly left some decent sized shoes to fill for the tag-team of Cameron/Clegg. It has been a bit of a bumpy beginning and the jury's still out on this coalition.

PS: Blair was a lawyer too!

Swedish word:

Juridik - justice/law

Rättshjälp - legal aid

Leva på min egen - to live on my own