[Wiglet]

Tony Blair leaves No10 Downing Street for the last time today as Prime Minster after ten years of leading this country.

He won THREE elections in a row which is a first for a Labour party and Blair is possibly one of the most memorable Labour leaders there has ever been and ever will be. Blair has made many decisions as Prime Minster of this country and there will no doubt be ones we agree and disagree with. But has he really been as successful as he claims to be?

What do you think?

[Wiglet]

No one cares for Mr Blair?

[Sunny_01]

I think he has brought the government into the here and now!

I am not a huge fan of his, never have been and I really dont like a number of the things he has been involved in, lets hope Brown for now can be a little less of a yes man to Bush!

[Lauren]

Slightly off-topic, but relevant all the same.

Did anyone notice in Brown-noses introduction speech about how his sight was saved in one eye because of the NHS? Yes... the very same NHS that has now stopped all treatment for people starting to go blind, the very same NHS that Blair has caused to fail on a mass scale... the same NHS that turned down a man for treatment as he didn't have enough money to save his sight.

Nice to hear you had it good, Brown.

[spitfire]

He leaves with a lot of blood on his hands,hopefully brown will see sense and bring our boys home.I wont hold my breathe.


Good riddance Bliar.

[Lauren]

"hopefully brown will see sense"

Highly doubt it. He's old school Labour through-and-through... we won't see any major policy changes from Bliar apart from maybe "NHS Reform" (and if I do say so myself, the very idea is an absolute shambles in comparison to Conservatives NHYes campaign).
Perhaps will see differences in pensions (which is a good thing - though bets on Labour ruining it?).

[Slartibartfast]

His faults and mistakes have been well documented and I could go on for pages and pages about those but I'd at least like to give him some recognition for the good things he did achieve.

He was instrumental in bringing peace to Northern Ireland after years of failure/apathy by other british PMs.

He introduced the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic legislation ensuring real protection for people's rights.

The tax credits system, (despite it's well documented flaws) has increased the income of thousands of families and has made a massive impact on the government's pledge to eradicate child poverty by 2020. And according to a recent UNICEF report, children in the UK now rank in the highest categories across Europe for "educational wellbeing".

Under Blair, the UK was one of only three states in the EU to open it's labour markets to the new accession states that joined the EU in MAy 2004.The influx of eastern european workers has massively boosted the UK economy.

He also modernised government, including importantly the House of Lords through his attack on the hereditary peers. (the fact that it also redressed the heavy Tory bias in the Lords was a fortunate coincidence )

See, he wasn't all bad!!

[Emilee]

I thought blair was a great priminister! his only downfall was ssending us to war in iraq.

I also like Gordon Brown.... he will be a good priminister,

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Emilee
I thought blair was a great priminister! his only downfall was ssending us to war in iraq.

I also like Gordon Brown.... he will be a good priminister,

Nhs-down the pan,Immagration he didnt have a clue,Education down the pan blah,blah,blah.
His one legacy is relative peace in N.Ireland.

[Matt]

Originally posted by spitfire
Hopefully brown will see sense

...and hold an EU Treaty referendum.

[Lauren]

The only thing I'm giving Blair credit for is Northern Ireland - he did spend a lot of time tackling that, and kudos to him. However, I also believe the time was right in NI and the conditions were perfect to bring about change and peace.

The education system has gone tits up, we now don't even know who we're sharing a country with - and more worryingly - neither do the government! There's people dying everyday because we're not getting enough treatment or budgets from the government. Infact, third world countries actually have better resources for non-terminal illnesses such as partially sightedness (I know I keep banging on about that, but how dare Brown actually advertise the fact that he got it for free!!).
Oh yeah, and accidentally allowing all those "harmless" criminals out to free up prison space - - here's a solution, lock them up and throw away the key.

[spitfire]

The prison thing really does get me.Why cant they build a new prison somewhere?Seriously,this really baffles me.
As for the reletive peace in Ulster,John Major paved the way IMO.

[Matt]

...or should we leave him to sell us down the river...

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Matt™
...or should we leave him to sell us down the river...

Theyve been doing that since they go to power.Time for change i think.Change the whole system round and bring in PR.

[Matt]

Originally posted by spitfire

Theyve been doing that since they go to power.Time for change i think.Change the whole system round and bring in PR.

...not to the extent of the EU treaty.

This government is a shambles.

All they do is tax and spend.

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Matt™

...not to the extent of the EU treaty.

This government is a shambles.

All they do is tax and spend.

You will join Lauren and get my vote on the tibb bb award next week.Im so easily persuaded,just be anti-labour.

[Matt]

Its true though. They invest lots of money into the NHS and what do we see for it? Nothing.

I can't believe how anyone can believe their spin.

I am so anti-Labour, and if they hand our powers over to Brussels without a referendum then I will lose any ounce of faith I have in them.

We need to get Conservatives in at the next election.

[spitfire]

I agree matt,bring back the tories as they are the only alternative.I just wish it was the tories of old.

[Matt]

You know, how Labour won three elections in a row beats me.

[Kristen]

Aww I'll miss good old Tony. As Bridget Jones said 'he's the only British Prime Minster I could ever see myself having any sexual activity with'
I actually have no interest in politics. I would prefer if the queen ran the country tbh.

[Matt]

"Good old" Tony?

[spitfire]

Originally posted by KristenI would prefer if the queen ran the country tbh.

She does,its her goverment.God save our Queen.

[Matt]

I know this is off topic, but:

Nice custom smilies, where did you get them?
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DOWN WITH LABOUR!

(Pointless filler to make this post less off topic)

[Kristen]

Originally posted by Matt™
"Good old" Tony?

Well no offense to him but he's been around a long time

[spitfire]

Originally posted by Matt™
I know this is off topic, but:

Nice custom smilies, where did you get them?
------------------------------------------------------------

DOWN WITH LABOUR!

(Pointless filler to make this post less off topic)

Just from different forums,any smileys i like i always save,ive got tons of 'em.The 3rd one,im sure,is from a glsgow Rangers forum.