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[Lo-Volt]

Could he be elected PM again?

Not sure how it all works.

No. Here's why:

Let's say Tony Blair wants to be prime minister again. Tony first needs to find a seat in Parliament. He left his seat after he resigned as PM and Labour leader in 2007. Then, he has to trigger the party's leadership contest rules to force yet another contest. So he needs sufficient support from other Labour MPs to challenge Jeremy Corbyn. Then, Blair has to win a contest among party members. The problem here is that other legislators are likely exhausted from the constant fighting, and party members in the country clearly prefer Jeremy Corbyn.

They really dislike the legacy of Tony Blair, especially the disastrous war in Iraq. That's the biggest problem here. Tony Blair is a discredited man who is in it for himself in the eyes of a lot of people. He is like one of the Clintons; we might like some of what he did but he is a relic of a past we also grew sour on. People who might not hate him are still tired of him. So even if he goes back into active politics because he thinks the new guys suck, so what?

Anyway, if he somehow overcomes these obstacles and becomes Labour leader again, the party still needs to fight and win a general election.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

Isn't it crazy that due to 2016 political environment, that you can be nostalgic about the 2000's and probably be right?

"Hey guys, remember when the worst thing Tony Blair ever did was drag the UK into an war with Iraq under false pretenses? Boy, those were good times!"

 

[Jezbollah]

No. Here's why:

Let's say Tony Blair wants to be prime minister again. Tony first needs to find a seat in Parliament. He left his seat after he resigned as PM and Labour leader in 1997. Then, he has to trigger the party's leadership contest rules to force yet another contest. So he needs sufficient support from other Labour MPs to challenge Jeremy Corbyn. Then, Blair has to win a contest among party members. The problem here is that other legislators are likely exhausted from the constant fighting, and party members in the country clearly prefer Jeremy Corbyn.

They really dislike the legacy of Tony Blair, especially the disastrous war in Iraq. That's the biggest problem here. Tony Blair is a discredited man who is in it for himself in the eyes of a lot of people. He is like one of the Clintons; we might like some of what he did but he is a relic of a past we also grew sour on. People who might not hate him are still tired of him. So even if he goes back into active politics because he thinks the new guys suck, so what?

Anyway, if he somehow overcomes these obstacles and becomes Labour leader again, the party still needs to fight and win a general election.

Reading that, I am reminded of the stat that said if you had bet £5 on Leicester City winning the Premiership and Trump being elected President you would have won £15m.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Fuck it, I'll take it. By 2016 standards, this is practically good news.

Pretty much. I'm at a point where I would take GWBush back


just hearing me say that makes my loins hurt

God help us all.

 

[PastorOfMuppets]

Pretty much. I'm at a point where I would take GWBush back


just hearing me say that makes my loins hurt

God help us all.

2020, Jeb Bush is gonna make another run for the Presidency under the Democratic Banner and George will be his Vice Presidential nomination. The Republican Party will have moved so far to the right by then that their supporters will accuse Fox News as being a part of the Liberal media. The Dems will run on a platform of tax cuts for the rich, global warming skepticism and abstinence only sex ed. And that'll be the shift to the left that America needs.

 

[The Hamburglar]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

 

[gutter_trash]

yes please! bring normalcy back

 

[MudoSkills]

Classic 2016. This ride never ends.

 

[Lego Boss]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

Seriously? You need a reality check.

 

[Dash_Riprock]

America is nostalgic for Bush and UK now wants Blair back.

How far we have fallen.

 

[Sumio Mondo]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

Can't stand Blair, either, but really? Really?

 

[sammyCYBORG]

Iraq was a huge mistake but a lot of people would prefer a war in a far away country to Brexit ripping their own country apart.

I would, to be brutally honest.

Blair over the current choices any day.

 

[Empty]

blair was a fantastic prime minister but wanting him back is as clueless a nostalgic fantasy for for nineties britain as the corbynistas who envisage a return to seventies britain.

however while blair shouldn't try and lead again i'd love him (somehow?) to be involved as part of our brexit negotiations. his experience, dedication and skill in negotiating the good friday agreement make him a huge asset.

 

[WhateverItTakes]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

See this kind of attitude is really fucking us over. Competent career politicians are being hounded while snake oil salesmen are held aloft as saviours. The hatred for 'the system' is pushing people towards dumb ass decisions. There is some serious money to be made for the PR agency that can get people to trust the usual politician again.

 

[The Hamburglar]

Iraq was a huge mistake but a lot of people would prefer a war in a far away country to Brexit ripping their own country apart.

I would, to be brutally honest.

Blair over the current choices any day.

Ah yes a political situation which we don't know how badly will effect the country over millions of dead people. Good choice.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

The man who did more than anyone in the UK to push a post truth agenda and make the British people distrust experts.

 

[Bold One]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

I dont care if you were exaggerating for effect, this is pure and utter insanity

 

[Mung]

Wish this war criminal would just disappear, preferably in prison where be belongs.

 

[ASilentProtagonist]

He should be in jail.

 

[Biske]

Its some kind of hellish poetry that in a world where for so long everyone has become tired of the establishment, the powerful, the old guard, etc., that in so many ways we buck all that off in a rage, and then suddenly yearn for that old familiarity.

I dunno where to find hope in such a world, where we fuck it all up so catastrophically and then our best answer is "eh lets just go back to how it was before and give up"

 

[Captain Chaos]

Great news, no Gordon to hold him back also.

Can he persuade Alistair Campbell to return.

 

[kirblar]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

And this is how Trump got elected.

 

[Lucreto]

I liked Blair up until the war. I am unsure if their is anything to gain with his return to politics. It's hard to tell if he is Pro Brexit or a Remainer.

If he is a Remainer I hope he will scupper the Brexit plans.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

The world is pushing for the likes of Romney and Blair to return to the political scene. What a time...

 

[SymbiantXenos]

Yeah fuck it why not.

 

[Peter Ian Staker]

He must be delusional if he thinks he will be successful with all his baggage.

 

[Grieves]

He lied to the British people and took us to an illegal war.

I will never vote for Blair.

 

[ClosingADoor]

I got the feeling politics is becoming so toxic that anyone competent doesn't want to do it anymore. So we are left with the nutjobs and dragging up old names.

 

[The_Hitcher89]

Classic 2016. This ride never ends.

2016 is merely the fan being turned on, and the shit being shat

2017 is when the two will meet.

 

[Audioboxer]

Ah yes a political situation which we don't know how badly will effect the country over millions of dead people. Good choice.

Yeah I mean as much as I voted Remain and dislike where Brexit is heading comments like that are a bit dodgy to say the least. Who knows how many innocent people died in that war not to mention British soldiers.

Brexit is rough, but it's not illegal war and mass death rough. So fuck Blair.

 

[Uzzy]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

I'd sooner dig up Thatcher's corpse and make her PM than see Blair back in office.

People want a Blairite party with third way policies? Sure. That's one thing. But Blair himself is a war criminal, and the only place he should be is in The Hague. The idea of him getting back involved in British politics is vile.

 

[Beefy]

Yeah I mean as much as I voted Remain and dislike where Brexit is heading comments like that are a bit dodgy to say the least. Who knows how many innocent people died in that war not to mention British soldiers.

Brexit is rough, but it's not illegal war and mass death rough. So fuck Blair.

As I said there is either a Blair a guy that jusitfied a illegal war that killed thousands or there is a Government that believes in austerity so much that 8+ people a month die of starvation. Then you have the sick and disabled that end up taking their lives. It's a mess.

 

[Beefy]

I'd sooner dig up Thatcher's corpse and make her PM than see Blair back in office.

People want a Blairite party with third way policies? Sure. That's one thing. But Blair himself is a war criminal, and the only place he should be is in The Hague. The idea of him getting back involved in British politics is vile.

Yet Unicef have called what the Tories are doing as criminal as well.

 

[Maztorre]

I got the feeling politics is becoming so toxic that anyone competent doesn't want to do it anymore. So we are left with the nutjobs and dragging up old names.

ding ding ding

Why go into politics in the UK when you can get paid more in private industry, and then slide the occasional brown envelope under a career politician's nose to get the policies you want without any of that "public service" nonsense?

 

[notaskwid]

So that the game finally ends.

 

[nekkid]

I'd rather see Nigel farage in office than his POS.

So what you're saying is, you're insane. Gotcha.

 

[Uzzy]

Yet Unicef have called what the Tories are doing as criminal as well.

Sure, and I'm not about to vote for them, but I'll take them over electing a war criminal any day.

 

[Audioboxer]

As I said there is either a Blair a guy that jusitfied a illegal war that killed thousands or there is a Government that believes in austerity so much that 8+ people a month die of starvation. Then you have the sick and disabled that end up taking their lives. It's a mess.

But I didn't not say that. I'm just saying comparing Brexit and the Tories to the Iraq war is crazy. Yes people here are suffering and dying in poverty but bombing civilians/towns/cities in an illegal war and the shit Blair pulled to get there is a whole other level of fuckery.

I don't even know what some of you think Blair is going to do? The Labour party can sort their shit out without the need of him. At this point he would probably make the party even more unelectable considering the chilcot report and many Brits fucking detesting him. I don't even know why Labour supporters on GAF are even having some of the thoughts they are.

Blair swaggering in and somehow Scotland ditches the SNP and votes Labour? The fuck are some people in here smoking.

 

[Zackat]

America is nostalgic for Bush and UK now wants Blair back.

How far we have fallen.

I would trade Trump for Romney so freaking fast.

 

[Condom]

UK munching on those member berries

 

[Oriel]

Iraq War aside Blair was probably the best UK PM since Atlee. And he's spot on regarding Corbyn.

 

[McBradders]

No but thanks anyway.

 

[Dougald]

I'd actually vote for him at this point. Christ, I never thought I'd say that

 

[Acorn]

I'd take him back. I never thought I'd reach this point but 2016 has done strange things to me.

 

[Dash_Riprock]

I'd take him back. I never thought I'd reach this point but 2016 has done strange things to me.

2016 has shown us that "Lesser of Two Evils" really should be a guiding principle of politics, depressing and cynical as it sounds.

 

[Beefy]

But I didn't not say that. I'm just saying comparing Brexit and the Tories to the Iraq war is crazy. Yes people here are suffering and dying in poverty but bombing civilians/towns/cities in an illegal war and the shit Blair pulled to get there is a whole other level of fuckery.

I don't even know what some of you think Blair is going to do? The Labour party can sort their shit out without the need of him. At this point he would probably make the party even more unelectable considering the chilcot report and many Brits fucking detesting him. I don't even know why Labour supporters on GAF are even having some of the thoughts they are.

Blair swaggering in and somehow Scotland ditches the SNP and votes Labour? The fuck are some people in here smoking.

I was on about you saying Brexit won't be mass death rough. Yet we are already having more and more people dying because of starvation. 400 people died from it last year and it is increasing like crazy. I could see it being 1000 this year and double that and more when Brexit kicks in.

Blair or the party Blair led was far far better at helping the poor then the Tories are. Not saying 100% I would actually vote for Blair if he came back as he is a criminal, but his party would be better for the poor with ease.

 

[nelsonroyale]

I was on about you saying Brexit won't be mass death rough. Yet we are already having more and more people dying because of starvation. 400 people died from it last year and it is increasing like crazy. I could see it being 1000 this year and double that and more when Brexit kicks in.

Blair or the party Blair led was far far better at helping the poor then the Tories are. Not saying 100% I would actually vote for Blair if he came back as he is a criminal, but hslis party would be better for the poor with ease.

Relative to the Tories? That is hardly a metric that says much. Blair was worse on inequalities than any previous Labour government...

I mean going back to Blair would show a laughable level of desperation...We live in polarising times, Labour aren't going to beat the Tories at their own game twice.

 

[Sumio Mondo]

I was on about you saying Brexit won't be mass death rough. Yet we are already having more and more people dying because of starvation. 400 people died from it last year and it is increasing like crazy. I could see it being 1000 this year and double that and more when Brexit kicks in.

Blair or the party Blair led was far far better at helping the poor then the Tories are. Not saying 100% I would actually vote for Blair if he came back as he is a criminal, but his party would be better for the poor with ease.

That's a rather nostalgic vision of the past, you know. Job Centres were just as shit to people then, tar everyone with the same brush, it's just even worse now, but it was shit back then too, don't kid yourself.

 

[Beefy]

Relative to the Tories? That is hardly a metric that says much. Blair was worse on inequalities than any previous Labour government...

I mean going back to Blair would show a laughable level of desperation...We live in polarising times, Labour aren't going to beat the Tories at their own game twice.

That's a rather nostalgic vision of the past, you know. Job Centres were just as shit to people then, tar everyone with the same brush, it's just even worse now, but it was shit back then too, don't kid yourself.

I was treated far better under Blairs Labour then I have been under Tories. I have seen schemes that Labour bought in to help people with mental illnesses get back into work get closed. I have seen my benefit cut by £30 a week and being treated shit just because I am mentally ill. Yes it wasn't amazing under Labour, but it was far far better then it is now. If I didn't have such supportive parents I would have killed myself by now. So yeah call me desperate.

 

[dalin80]

I mean going back to Blair would show a laughable level of desperation...We live in polarising times, Labour aren't going to beat the Tories at their own game twice.

And as we have seen incredibly vividly this year the left aren't going to win when they don't have the popular support outside of the echo chambers they have claimed online, Labour are desperate and honestly the massive influx of interest of Blair and centralist revival could be the kick in the arse they need.

Have a Corbyn vs Blair debate streamed live on TV and the net, get actual non-facebook voters active and interested in the party and it's politics again.