Tony Blair, the megalomaniacs’ megalomaniac, hangs like a spectre over the Labour Party. Precisely how much influence he wields over the government is uncertain, although Keir Starmer recently confessed the pair spoke “a lot” in the run up to the election, and that he “regularly receives texts” from Blair, advising him on what he needs to do. Alas, New Labour’s ghoul is not confined to machinations behind the scenes at Number 10. Clearly dissatisfied with the wholescale destruction of Britain during his own three terms, Blair seems determined to finish the job – even if forced to act through an intermediary. Seventeen years after leaving office, he is back with fresh demands for compulsory ID. The pretext? “People want control” over immigration.
Yes, he dared to say it. Nice one Tone, remind us again who crowbarred the borders open in the first place? Beyond the obvious rank hypocrisy, there’s clearly something more sinister at work here. And while I’m no advocate of conspiracy theories, it’s hard to ignore the bait-and-switch in operation. Demanding public obeisance to questionable edicts is, after all, hardly without precedent.
Exhibit A: Climate Change.
“There is no bigger threat facing the global community” Blair warned us (sure, try telling that to the Chilcot Report). Solution? “We must pay now to avoid climate disaster.” Personally, I’m less convinced by climate change than I am by governments who guarantee they can adjust the Sun’s thermostat, if only I pay more tax. Blair’s harbinger of doom might also have been more credible, had he not ruled out a reduction in his own long-haul flights.
Exhibit B: Covid.
Again, there’s no need for conspiracy theories when the diktats are only ever in one direction. “Vaccination, in the end, will be your route to liberty” Comrade Tony informed us, before adding “If you’re eligible and refuse the Covid vaccine, you’re an idiot.” Quite possibly it’s Blair who winds up looking the idiot after recent Covid relevations, but it is remarkable how often the great and the good manage to absolve themselves of responsibility.
Exhibit C: Digital IDs.
Way back in 2012, Blair advised Ed Miliband to push ID cards in order to tackle illegal immigration. Fast forward to 2024, and IDs – digital ones to be precise, are back on the menu. With Miliband currently rehearsing “How dare you?!” with Greta Thunberg (due for release at COP29), Blair is left wooing Starmer. Stooges come and go; Blairite arguments are eternal: “Embrace AI or be forced to raise taxes”. Someone ought to remind ‘Call me tony’, we already entrusted Facebook with our data, and that didn’t work out too well.
The Lady Jane of Downing Street, Liz Truss, recently dubbed Blair “The worst prime minister in recent years”, and she may have a point. Under Blair, Britain faced the triple whammy of The Equality Act (embedding identity politics at the heart of British institutions); The Human Rights Act (prioritising the ‘rights’ of rapists and murderers over their victims); and The Climate Change Act (rendering Britain more expensive and less competitive, through pointless carbon reduction budgets).
Blair’s greatest crime however, was almost certainly the deliberate exposure of Britain to the horrors of mass immigration, and the embrace of multiculturalism which was neither explained to nor requested by the British people. Under New Labour, immigration quintupled to the tune of 3.6 million net – an outrage topped only by the lies used to justify it. First it was migrants were required to do the jobs Brits refused to do. When it was pointed out that Brits actually would do them, Blair told them to get a better education instead! Next up was the line about migrants contributing 10-15% of economic growth (nothing about the strain on public services, naturally). Finally, there was the farce about migrants paying our pensions – and if you believe that, I’ve a Ponzi scheme to sell you.
Blair’s gaslighting demands for a cull on immigration are about as convincing as the ‘refugees’ washing up daily along the south coast. Worse still is the reason he now makes them – to counter the threat of Reform UK:
“Progressives should be thinking about the answers, but you’ve got to understand what the populist does. The populist usually doesn’t invent a grievance, they exploit the grievance. If you want to close off their avenues for increasing support, you’ve got to deal with the grievance.”
In other words, irreparably altering the fabric of society is fine as long as the plebs don’t get uppity and start voting the wrong way!
It’s long been said that all political careers end in failure. When it’s time to go, most politicians have the grace to slip off quietly and write their memoirs. For Blair, not even his eponymous Institute for Global Change is sufficient to keep those idle hands occupied. It’s time someone performed the necessary exorcism and purged us once and for all of New Labour’s poltergeist. Failing that, perhaps we can encourage Steve Bray to blast out Tubular Bells whenever Blair goes out in public – at least then we’d have a little warning.
Frank Haviland is the author of Banalysis: The Lie Destroying the West, and writes a Substack here.
This piece was first published by The European Conservative, and is reproduced by kind permission.
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You forgot TB’s 3Es which have enfeebled and entrapped the young via an explosion of ‘universities’, mickey-mouse degrees, debt and, and, and – so many negative things I can’t be bothered to list them all.
His and Browns contribution to the banking crisis (still not paid for) the ruination of the pensions industry except for public sector, Iraq war, Afghanistan, the NHS in decline long before Cameron got in, the list goes on.
“crowbarred the borders open in the first place”
Without disputing this, I’d just like to make one point about immigration before 1997. Yes, it was lower viewed from a national standpoint, but it concentrated in a small number of places like Bradford where the impact was serious. Salman Rushdie is often cited as the first example of “cancellation”, but IMO it was Ray Honeyford, a Bradford headmaster who, in 1984, wrote an article critical of multiculturalism. His career and health never recovered. Apparently, he made his case “intemperately”. In other words, he was candid.
But this was just Bradford, so nobody paid much attention and an opportunity to learn was missed. They paid a little more attention when riots broke out in 2001.
If things carry on as they are doing there will soon be nowhere for the white flighters to run to.!
Those that can will abandon cities for the countryside and alter its character irreversibly. The consequences spread far and wide.
it is remarkable how often the great and the good manage to absolve themselves of responsibility….
It is also remarkable how often the ‘great and the good’ (sic) manage to avoid what ‘medicines’ they preach for the rest of us.
I doubt that ANY OF THEM have received the ‘vaxxine’ Saline looks exactly the same as the poison in a syringe. Eh Boris?
The pretext? “People want control” over immigration….
IOW THEY wan control over US. We are no longer fooled that they have OUR best interests at heart, just their ever burgeoning profits and control.
Brown is as bad as Blair – he’s currently overseeing the break up of England by regionalising it into bite sized pieces! But then your lot were just as bad. Along with the Lib Dims & Greens you are indeed the uniparty. Whatever happened to real opposition & no parliament can tie the hands of the next one? Like our English Constitution ignored by all of you on an industrial scale, you’ve all murdered them & democracy & the People’s Laws & Rights.
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