Opinion of Tony Blair

[Frodo]

And by 'Briton', I am referring to those British subjects who live in the four main regions that compose the United Kingdom in the British Isles -England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (not including the Republic of Ireland). 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Non-Briton -Horrible Person (using the correct rating scale)

[Frodo]

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This meant to read: 'Do you approve or disapprove of the job he has done since he first became Prime Minister nine years ago?'

[WalterMitty]

strongly approve.

[afleitch]

Lean dissaprove - Briton.

He has been PM for a long time by UK standards. he has had some amazing accomplishments in my book and will still probably be seen as one of the rgeats even if popular opinion is against hime (like Thatcher) But Blair has been annoying me for a few years now, his persona as well as his politics.

[Nym90]

Approve.

He's done more good than bad overall.

[bullmoose88]

Approve.

He's done more good than bad overall.

^^

[True Democrat]

Non-Briton -Approve

[Cubby]

Non-Briton: Strongly Approve

Why? Two big reasons are Section 28 and Age of Consent, which was voted on like 3 times I think. Thats one area where America did it better, what kind of morons make a law saying you can't have sex till you're 21? British MPs thats who.

The fact that Blair used his power to correct popular but immoral laws makes him a freedom fighter. Yes Iraq was a big mistake but he was following Churchill's advice to always stand with America.

Blair is one of the last left wing leaders left among the major countries. Who else is there now? New Zealand, Italy, India and Spain, thats all I can think of.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I currently tend to disapprove, but more through irritation at a couple of things ("it's time to retire now I think" being the main one) than much else. Not that I was ever a big fan in the first place. Too (politically) Clinton-ish at times, has a tendency to be a bit control-freakish (although this has basically gone now) and tends to avoid mentioning the best acheivements of his government (they were mentioned a few times in the election, but not enough. That the New Deal (for example) has been a success at reducing youth unemployment (which, in case anyone here doesn't know, used to be extremely bad here) and that the Tories and the Liberals BOTH wanted to/want to scrap it, should have been shouted from the proverbial rooftops). He's also been too confrontational with the rest of the Party and the Labour Movement (although, again, he's not been so bad at that recently. Not post-Warwick anyway) something that there was never much of a point to.
Best P.M since the late '70's though* and in general he's been pretty competent. On a personal level he's apparently a decent enough guy (unlike John Major who is reputed to be a total sh*t) not that that really means much.

The overall record of the post-97 Labour government is a different thing (strongly approve) but that's not all his doing. Government is a collective thing, after all.

*There have only been three, Blair included

[Јas]

Lean Approve - non-Briton

Though I can be sympathetic to arguments either way, his genuine constuctive engagement in N. Ireland swings it.

[Democratic Hawk]

Briton - Approve

Dave

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Blair is one of the last left wing leaders left among the major countries. Who else is there now? New Zealand, Italy, India and Spain, thats all I can think of.

I don't consider him left. And that depends on what you mean by "major", but you can add Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Argentina. You could even add Venezuela and Chile if you're counting New Zealand.

[minionofmidas]

Blair is one of the last left wing leaders left among the major countries. Who else is there now? New Zealand, Italy, India and Spain, thats all I can think of.

I don't consider him left. And that depends on what you mean by "major", but you can add Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Argentina. You could even add Venezuela and Chile if you're counting New Zealand.

Certainly these countries should count long before New Zealand... (except Finland and Norway, which are largely on the same order of irrelevancy - no offense to our Finnish posters.)

[minionofmidas]

I currently tend to disapprove, but more through irritation at a couple of things ("it's time to retire now I think" being the main one) than much else. Not that I was ever a big fan in the first place. Too (politically) Clinton-ish at times, has a tendency to be a bit

A bit?

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That's not an achievement. That's self-evident ... well, Major actually did a great job winning 1992 at all, and might have been less of a failure as a pm if he'd actually had a functioning party behind him to govern with

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All the true political animals are. [quote] not that that really means much.

The overall record of the post-97 Labour government is a different thing (strongly approve) but that's not all his doing. Government is a collective thing, after all.[quote] Hear, hear!

[Cubby]

Blair is one of the last left wing leaders left among the major countries. Who else is there now? New Zealand, Italy, India and Spain, thats all I can think of.

I don't consider him left. And that depends on what you mean by "major", but you can add Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Argentina. You could even add Venezuela and Chile if you're counting New Zealand.

Certainly these countries should count long before New Zealand... (except Finland and Norway, which are largely on the same order of irrelevancy - no offense to our Finnish posters.)

You guys have a point, but I meant Developed Countries (formerly known as the First World). Obviously Lula, Evo and Hugo are further left than Tony Blair.

And of course Blair is left wing BRTD, he's from the Labour Party. Even if he scrapped the socialist ideology in order to win that still makes him left of center.

[© tweed]

In all, positive, although I'd have voted LibDem in 2005.