Tony Blair & the Labour Party

[FizzingWhizzbees]

I'm curious about how people outside the UK perceive Tony Blair and the Labour party, so I thought I'd start a quick poll on it. That's about all there is to say really. Vote away!

 

[DrTeeth]

I voted liberal/leftist

 

[Sherry Darling]

Can I vote for "just left of center"? With a great accent? (I promise I know better, but I swear that man could talk me into believing about anything with that accent....)

SD

 

[verte76]

I voted "liberal/leftist" but if "left of center" had been in there I would have voted that way.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

Leftist... really? I find Blair to be the most conservative European out there. After all, not many "leftists" and Europeans are still trying to find WMDs in Iraq.

 

[kobayashi]

it is my understanding that blair has led the leftist-liberal party in a more centrist-right direction, than they might have otherwise preferred.

this is why he has his own MPs opposing him on issues concerning Iraq while he is able to pick up support from the more conservative parties.

as such i didn't respond

 

[Macfistowannabe]

In that case, I've never heard of a single European conservative.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I promise I know better, but I swear that man could talk me into believing about anything with that accent

Wow...

 

[verte76]

In that case, I've never heard of a single European conservative.

Can you say "Silvio Berlascone?"

 

[Macfistowannabe]

Can you say "Silvio Berlascone?"

Not really, because I've never heard of him.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

Berlusconi is the PM of Italy.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[kobayashi]

you might want to check him out.
hes important.

 

[DaveC]

go look up "silvio berlusconi" on Google Images. there is a photo of him there.

http://www.google.ca/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi&q=

 

[verte76]

Berlusconi is the PM of Italy.

Damn, I misspelled his name.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

It's easily done, especially if you're not Italian. At least you know who he is, lol.

 

[anitram]

I would say he is barely left of centre.

 

[Anthony]

Tony Blair, and his pathetic 'New Labour; is as old school Tory as the Thatcherites were... and that is not my liberal opinion speaking. There have been countless of surveys going out showing how Blair has increasingly, over the years, become more and more Right-wing.

Indeed, I can't think of a single policy that he has implemented that is even remotely 'left of centre', except perhaps the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which allows for certain rights of transsexuals.

Oh, and by the way, Jacques Chirac is a conservative (though granted there is a difference between what a European calls conservative and what an American would deem Conservative; the French elected him as a Conservative leader, however) as well. So was Aznar (head of the conservative Popular Party), the former Primeminister of Spain. Denmark and Portugal are also conservative. Europe is nowhere near as 'Left Wing' as some would like to believe.

Ant.

 

[oktobergirl]

i consider the bush puppet a conservative.

 

[A_Wanderer]

I think that it would be wrong to label all leaders that support Bush as

a: puppets
and
b: conservatives

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I think that it would be wrong to label all leaders that support Bush as

a: puppets
and
b: conservatives

Same is true with labeling all liberals as

a: tree huggers
b: soft on defense
c: unpatriotic
d: immoral

 

[Stonewall]

I wish Tony Blair could be the President of America sometime. He's swell, smart, supportive, spoken well, etc. Mr. Blair seems to look quite at home at the White House. Maybe if that new pending "Ahnold" Amendement passes....

 

[blueyedpoet]

Um, having spent four months in london of course makes me an expert so here's my analysis: The UK, along with most of europe, has the right to left spectrum just like America; however, the entire spectrum is shifted to the left. It appears as if many conservative MPs are actually more liberal than democrats in the US. With that said, Blair and his New Labour party would be a welcome here in the states by many liberals. Nevertheless, his policies are constantly shifting further to the right. And, the British I think are noticing this. Americans, it's really important for us to realize that the words conservative and liberal can mean very different things in other countries. Like, a liberal in china is very much a capitalist, whereas a conservative is steep in Maoism.

 

[Stonewall]

TranSexuals prefer one "s" in the middle!

...I can't think of a single policy that he [Tony Blair] has implemented that is even remotely 'left of centre', except perhaps the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which allows for certain rights of transsexuals. Oh, and by the way.... Ant.

Anty: Oh, and bi the way, real tranSexuals prefer only one "s" (in the middle). Trust me!


See: www.STONEWALLvets.org/photos/StonewallStatueofLiberty.htm

 

[verte76]

Um, having spent four months in london of course makes me an expert so here's my analysis: The UK, along with most of europe, has the right to left spectrum just like America; however, the entire spectrum is shifted to the left. It appears as if many conservative MPs are actually more liberal than democrats in the US. With that said, Blair and his New Labour party would be a welcome here in the states by many liberals. Nevertheless, his policies are constantly shifting further to the right. And, the British I think are noticing this. Americans, it's really important for us to realize that the words conservative and liberal can mean very different things in other countries. Like, a liberal in china is very much a capitalist, whereas a conservative is steep in Maoism.

We had a topic on this last summer over whether or not John Kerry was really a "lefty" or a "liberal". The majority of American posters said yes, but all of the Canadian and European posters said no. Incidentally, I was one of the few Americans who said, no, he's not particularly leftist to me, although he is by American standards. I'm considerably to the left of most of my compatriots.

 

[blueyedpoet]

Yeah, John Kerry is not all that liberal. America really baffles me. I think more Americans ought to live outside the country for awhile as it really provides a different scope. I joke about being an expert because I lived in London for four months, but i also lived Canada for nearly 5 years.
The rest of the western world has moved far, far left. Universal health coverage is the norm. Free education is also the norm. And yet America is still talking about puritianial ideas. What gets really confusing is that while America is so far behind, many still want to come to America. Why? Hasn't the world figured out you probably won't strike it rich here? Rags to riches is a myth.

 

[verte76]

That's why Americans of the more leftist persuasion have just thrown in the towel and left for Europe and Canada. There's only so much frustration anyone can hack, after that they've got to give in.

 

[nbcrusader]

What gets really confusing is that while America is so far behind, many still want to come to America. Why? Hasn't the world figured out you probably won't strike it rich here? Rags to riches is a myth.

Why do you equate conservative values withe "being so far behind"?

If other countries were so far "ahead" of the US, we would see a large outflow of people, instead of the current inflow.

 

[blueyedpoet]

Well, most countries have already had "conservative values" eras and seem to be moving in a different direction. Whether this is a good thing or not, the fact is America is left behind. I'm not sure why people do move here, that's what i was asking.

 

[A_Wanderer]

I agree, there are many disadvantages to having government subsidised healthcare for all and cradle to grave welfare. I for one do not like the idea of paying so much more tax, or having to wait months on end for a denist appointment, this welfare state mentality is not a wonderful thing and over time the systems just break down. Australia is certainly not moving to the left, most of Europe is not moving to the left, I think that it would be flawed to argue that America is being left behind in a wave of utopian socialism because that is simply not what is happening.