90 Days/Majority 66

polly toynbee is a dick, as per:

"But stop here and pause to reflect. Those on the centre-left who wish at all costs to keep Labour in office and to keep the Tories at bay should take a deep breath before wishing that power tumbles away from Tony Blair and his government in a helter-skelter panic of Westminster hysteria. Cui bono? Not Labour and not Blair's natural successor, flown back in a flurry of panic from his Middle East tour. This is not a moment for I-told-you-so triumphalism against prime ministerial hubris. It is a time for caution, closing ranks and great care."

it's always a time for closing ranks chez toynbee. is there any danger, a mere *6 fucking months* after the election, of labour losing office here? no there sodding well isn't; and frankly labour *deserve* to lose office if they continue down the multiply awfful paths they are taking under this prime minister.

the idea that new labour are 'centre left' is fucking pitiable. they are hard right!

But where will Tony Blair be in 90 days?

Call me stupid, but I'd rather the police have powers get 28 days than the Government start chipping away at the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, though that'll be next.

eh? what's the police and criminal evidence act?

the 28 days is an outrage, obviously, but better than 90.

As reported on BBC news last night, one Lab MP said "I may back you on this, Mr Blair, but be assured I will not be backing you over your education proposals" - they were heavily leaning toward this being one of the less controversial ideas Blair hopes to push through in this term of office, and that things will only get worse for him from now on.

i dearly hope so.

I really like the way the Sun referred to the dissenting MPs as "Traitors"*

*in another, equally valid way, it makes me want to cry.

Also interesting, at least from the cursory scanning of the BBC news reports about this, is the way that it's being presented: as completely Blair's idea, a "Blair vs. World" angle.

I'm fascinated by the way Tony can't actually see why he was defeated--he is genuinely convinced of his own bullshit... (or he is a *really* good actor)

Two days ago the Sun ran a picture of one of the 7 July victims staggering along covered in blood, with the headline "Terror Laws: Tell Tony He's Right".

Today in G2 the man in the photo — a media studies lecturer — points out that, actually, he thinks Tony is wrong and he's quite pissed off at News International.