The first act of Tony’s long goodbye
From our UK edition
The Spectator’s theatre critic Lloyd Evans has done a very funny review of Blair’s performance for us. Do give it a read.
The Spectator
Thursday
Tony and Clio
From our UK edition
Blair has achieved what all successful British Prime Ministers achieve: he has changed both his own party and the opposition. David Cameron would not exist politically without Tony Blair, in the same way that Blair would not without Thatcher. Yet there’s no single achievement of the Blair years that transcends everything else—which is why it is
The showman leaves the stage
From our UK edition
Dogs bark, cats miaow, Blair gives superb speeches. His latest farewell remarks were no exception, and there were a few misty eyes here in 22 Old Queen Street. Not mine, I’m afraid to say. Fat lot of good his speeches have done of us over the years. But here’s what I made of his remarks. This
The view from across the pond
From our UK edition
Richard Perle, neo-con policy intellectual, sends in his thoughts on Blair and British ingratitude: I’m sorry to see him go as I was sorry to see the departures of Thatcher and Reagan before him. Conviction politicians, all. It may be a while before you get another–they’re rare on both sides of the Atlantic. Its ironic
Was that the long awaited Iraq apology?
From our UK edition
The stage was set for a high-energy celebration this afternoon. There was clapping, music, and a woman in black and white dancing near the podium. But by the standards of this most theatrical of public speakers, the Prime Minister’s farewell address today was personal and pensive. Compared to the shouted list of Labour’s achievements that
Coming up on the site today
From our UK edition
We’ll have lots more coming up on Coffee House today. Highlights include a review of Blair’s performance by The Spectator’s theatre critic Lloyd Evans and a debate on what the Tories can—and should—learn from Blair between our editor Matthew d’Ancona and Tim Montgomerie of Conservative Home that will be going online after 4PM.. So, stay
The PM of the middle classes
From our UK edition
Tony Blair possessed many of the qualities of a good – perhaps even great – Prime Minister. He was clever, brave and held deep convictions. My complaint against him – which amounted to a fundamental and continual criticism of his ten-year premiership – was that his convictions were not those of a social democrat. He
Wednesday
What if?
From our UK edition
Andrew Roberts is nothing less than the jewel in the crown of the Daily Mail, and he has written a very funny piece for that paper about what the world would be like if Britain still ruled America. According to Andrew, it would be a much happier place than it is today. There would have
The hidden hand of the web
From our UK edition
Fabulous piece by P.J. O’Rourke on Adam Smith as inventor of the web. “I wonder if the know-it-alls at Wikipedia realize that the Internet was fully described and completely understood more than 200 years ago by Adam Smith, founder of free market economics. And Smith, I’m almost certain, knew less about computers than I do
RIP Isabella Blow
From our UK edition
Isabella Blow passed away on Monday morning and took with her much of what made London a fashion capital. She was original and funny and the antithesis of Philip Green – London’s new and unlikely face of fashion. She was interested in the people who made and wore clothes beautifully – she wasn’t interested in
Cameron’s guru speaks
From our UK edition
‘Radically pragmatic, rather than dogmatic’, is the way Oliver Letwin, Conservative head of policy, described the new Tory approach this week. Speaking at Policy Exchange, Letwin was hoping to ‘rebut’ critics who say they’ve not seen much in the way of substance since David Cameron became leader of the party eighteen months ago. Joking that
How will Blair sign off?
From our UK edition
Today’s Sun has the scoop on the choreography behind Blair’s resignation as Labour leader. Apparently, he’ll travel up to Sedgefield and announce his departure in an “emotional resignation speech” at noon. I share Matt’s view that it will be a spectacular performance. Remember how his conference speech did leave them wanting more. He ended that
The long and the short of it | 9 May 2007
From our UK edition
If, like me, you’re trying to get your head round the radical changes in the online world – and the revolution usually called “Web 2.0” – then check out Seth Godin’s post on the battle between longer and shorter content. Godin is one of the world’ great marketing gurus, which probably sells him short, as
Tuesday
Sarkozy gets pranked
From our UK edition
Nicolas Sarkozy was taken in by a phone prankster claiming to be the Canadian PM on Sunday night. No damage done, though. Sarkozy said nothing controversial, merely some boiler plate about being a “big fan of Canada and our bilateral relations are excellent.” The line that eventually tipped him off wasn’t exactly subtle: “Since you
The New Yorker on Banksy
From our UK edition
This week’s New Yorker has a fascinating profile of the graffiti artist Banky. He’s one of those people you either love or hate. This quote gives you a flavour of where he’s coming from: “I don’t think art is much of a spectator sport these days,” he began. “I don’t know how the art world
Debatable Polls
From our UK edition
At 9p.m. last Thursday, while over 15 million American households were tuned in to “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC, 1.7 million were watching the first Republican primary debate on the cable news channel MSNBC. Yet despite these paltry viewing figures (only 2.2m tuned in to the Democratic debate the previous week), the media twitter means that
Our shameful indifference
From our UK edition
Peter Hain was on the Today programme this morning doing a victory lap for the resumption of devolution in Northern Ireland. But he gave the game away when he predicted that this deal would stick as there are no political forces more extreme than those in government. The consequence of the Good Friday agreement, or
Paralysis at Holyrood?
From our UK edition
The Scottish Parliament is often reported by London newsreaders as a proxy for Scottish public opinion. In truth, it’s an institution held in wide contempt – and the desultory 52% turnout (in what was a knife-edge election) speaks volumes. This is the first fact to consider when judging the problems which Alex Salmond is facing
Monday
How good is Tony Blair’s French?
From our UK edition
Tony Blair’ send his congratulations–or should that be félicitations–to Nicolas Sarkozy.
The Gordfather
From our UK edition
“Barzini’s dead. So is Phillip Tattaglia — Moe Greene — Strachi — Cuneo — Today I settle all Family business.” Remember that scene in The Godfather, where Michael Corleone tells his soon-to-be-executed brother-in-law that the Corleones have settled all their vendettas in a bloody spree of vengeance? That’s what Westminster feels like this morning. The