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Blairism

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Blair speaks in support of the Northern Ireland peace process in Armagh in September 1998.

In British politics, the term Blairism refers to the political ideology of former leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister Tony Blair, who left both positions in 2007 to become Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East. Proponents of Blairism are referred to as Blairites.

Ideology

Bill Clinton (left) meets with Blair in November 1999, his close partner in their mutual Atlanticist views and emphasis on the special relationship.

Politically, Blair has been identified with record investment into public services, an interventionist and Atlanticist foreign policy, support for stronger law enforcement powers, a large focus on surveillance as a means to address terrorism and a large focus on education as a means to encourage social mobility. In the early years (circa 1994-1997), Blairism was also associated with support for European integration and particularly British participation in the European single currency, though this waned after Labour took office.

The term is used in particular in contrast to Brownite, to identify those within the Labour Party who prefer Gordon Brown's leadership to that of Blair. However, with Blair and Brown typically in agreement on most political issues[1] (from Iraq to public sector reform), commentators have noted that "the difference between Brownites and Blairites … is more tribal than ideological".[2] This is believed to stem from a personal disagreement between Blair and Brown over who should have run for the leadership following the death of John Smith in 1994: though Brown was originally considered the senior of the two, he waited until after Smith's funeral to begin campaigning by which point Blair had gathered too much momentum to be beaten.[3]

The term is often used to describe individuals who supported Blair's leadership or those who supported his radical policies. Often Brownites are seen as more left and, by some, seen to have a slightly more Liberal or Liberal Left ideology to Blairites.

For a long time, there has been a great deal of discussion in British politics about the Blairite legacy. This has intensified since September 2006, when Blair announced his intention to resign within a year, and especially since May 2007, when he said he would resign as Prime Minister on June 27, 2007. While centrists such as Gordon Brown and David Cameron claim that Blairism is safe in their hands, critics on the left (e.g. John McDonnell) and right (e.g. Norman Tebbit) dispute its value to British society. Others have even speculated that, if the Blairite coalition is to be seen as essentially one of pro-market anti-Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats could even be its ultimate inheritors.[4]

Relationship to prior administrations

The Daily Telegraph has said that Blair's programme, with the emphasis on 'New Labour', accepted the free-market ideology of Thatcherism such as deregulation, privatization of key national industries, maintaining a flexible labour market, marginalising the trade unions, and devolving government decision making to local authorities.[5]

In the BBC Four documentary film Tory! Tory! Tory!, Blair is described as personally admiring Thatcher deeply and making the decision that she would be the first outside person he formally invited to visit him in 10 Downing Street.[6]

Historian and writer Paul Johnson famously quoted Thatcher as saying before the 1997 election that Britain had "nothing to fear" from Blair ministry.[5]

Previous Prime Minister John Major was one of the original figures behind the Northern Ireland peace process that Blair continued, and both of them campaigned in support of the Good Friday Agreement. However, Blair later snubbed Major by declining to invite him to a 2007 joint address to the House of Lords and House of Commons on the peace process.[7][8]

However, Blair criticized the Thatcher government's record on poverty as well as privately calling Thatcher "unhinged". He abolished Section 28, and the Internal Market as well as a lot more pro-European than the Conservative Party. Blair was criticized by various Thatcherites such as John Redwood, Norman Tebbit and William Hague.

Relationship to later administrations

Gordon Brown standing at a podium. Text on the podium states "ANNUAL MEETINGS". A number of flags hang in the background
Gordon Brown speaking at the annual World Bank/IMF meeting in 2002
See also: Blair–Brown deal

Gordon Brown followed Blair as Prime Minister, after Brown's long tenure as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Although viewed in the media as somewhat personally close, Blair later wrote in his autobiography A Journey that a "maddening" Brown effectively blackmailed him while he was in 10 Downing Street. Blair accused Brown of orchestrating the investigation into the cash-for-honours scandal and stated that the personal animosity was so strong that it lead him to frequent drinking, a big change for Blair. Blair also has told journalist Andrew Marr that as their years working together went on, cooperation become "hard going on impossible".[9]

As stated before, both Labor party icons had similar positions on actual issues and government policies. To the extent that they felt divided, it came mostly from differences in personality, background, and managing style.[1]

Notable Blairites

Other than Tony Blair himself, the following prominent Labour politicians are often considered Blairites, but may not identify themselves as such:

Other non-politicians who are Blairites include:

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b How to bear Blair: become a Blairite Will Hutton, Guardian Unlimited - Comment is free, 21 June 2006
  2. ^ Jack the Knife goes for the clearout kill Kirsty Milne, The Scotsman, 28 November 2001
  3. ^ Will he? Won't he? Suzie Mackenzie, The Guardian, 25 September 2004
  4. ^ Kennedy can still exploit this perfect political storm Martin Kettle, The Guardian, 26 April 2005
  5. ^ a b "Margaret Thatcher, inspiration to New Labour". The Daily Telegraph. 17 April 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ BBC Four, Tory! Tory! Tory!
  7. ^ "Blair". Daily Mail. Retrieved 30 June 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-452792/Blair-cuts-Major-grandstanding-Ulster-peace-address.html
  9. ^ "Tony Blair: Gordon Brown tried to blackmail me". The Daily Telegraph. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d Hennessy, Patrick (6 June 2009). "Revealed: how Cabinet Blairites plotted to topple Brown". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ a b Helm, Toby (3 May 2009). "Hazel Blears savages Gordon Brown over 'lamentable' failures". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b Coates, Sam (4 August 2008). "Blairites plot to hasten Gordon Brown's exit". The Times. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  13. ^ Sawer, Patrick (14 November 2009). "Stephen Byers: the ultra-Blairite who was a constant thorn in Gordon Brown's side". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  14. ^ a b c Porter, Andrew (3 September 2008). "Charles Clarke: Labour heading for 'utter destruction' under Gordon Brown". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Thomson, Alice (23 May 2009). "Caroline Flint defends Hazel Blears in expenses row". The Times. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ Waugh, Paul (4 June 2009). "Loyalists urge PM to sack Flint amid fears she will quit". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 6 January 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "The Blairites and the Brownites". Daily Mail. London. 11 April 2006.
  18. ^ Hélène Mulholland, Hélène (6 January 2010). "Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt call for secret ballot to settle leadership debate". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  19. ^ a b Grice, Andrew (29 June 2007). "Andrew Grice: We are all Brownites now, say the Blairites with relief". The Independent. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  20. ^ Kennedy, Siobhan (25 September 2008). "Ruth Kelly: chequered career of the Blairite star who fell to earth". The Times. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  21. ^ a b Richards, Steve (18 October 1999). "The Blairites reign supreme". New Statesman. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  22. ^ a b Daley, Janet (11 January 2009). "Return of the Blairites spells trouble for David Cameron". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  23. ^ a b Routledge, Paul (13 November 2009). "Pompous Blairites like David Miliband and Peter Mandelson make me cringe". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  24. ^ "Estelle Morris: classroom to cabinet". BBC News. 8 June 2001.
  25. ^ Hencke, David (4 June 2009). "Which cabinet ministers are supporting Gordon Brown?". The Guardian. London.
  26. ^ Morris, Nigel (29 June 2007). "First woman at the Home Office: Jacqui Smith". The Independent. London. Retrieved 6 January 2010. A more fluid approach is needed.
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