Yes I’m a Green Party
member so probably shouldn’t stick my nose in Labour Party business but when I
saw the suggestion from Tony Blair that people should consider backing some pro-EU Conservative MPs I have to admit, I did a double take. An ex-Labour Prime
Minister suggesting that people vote for a right wing party based on one issue?
Brexit is an important issue but is Blair so out of touch that he hasn't seen
the damage the Tories have done over the last 7 years? The slashing of our
public services and welfare state, which Blair's government actually boosted funding in. How can he possibly
suggest supporting that? Whatever his views on Corbyn, surely he shouldn't ask
people to consider supporting the party that he fiercely fought three elections
against and won?
I agree with him that
leaving the EU is most likely going to damage our country in a lot of ways but
to suggest voting for any MP that wants to fight against a hard Brexit no
matter their party is incredibly one-dimensional and narrow minded. Even some
of his protégées such as Chuka Umunna have completely dismissed the idea.
Bizarrely he also said he would definitely be voting Labour himself. I’m sorry
but if he is voting for Labour then surely he should be saying others should as
well? As an ex-Labour Prime Minister, I also think he has a responsibility and
a duty to encourage others to vote for Labour and not give any hint or
suggestion that people should consider voting Tory. If he could stand as a candidate
under Michael Foot’s manifesto, then surely he can stomach campaigning for
Labour under Corbyn?
It’s interesting though how
we haven’t heard anything from Blair over what has happened domestically in
Britain over the duration of this current Tory government. However when it
comes to foreign affairs such as the EU and the middle-east he is very
opinionated. A few months after the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition formed, they
had a clear programme of government which included dismantling our welfare
state. When asked about them, Blair said at the time it was too early to tell about whether they were
a good government or not. One thinks that he may have secretly supported what
they were doing but didn’t want to openly say it. Considering it was the New
Labour government that introduced the Work Capability Assessments and the
Bedroom Tax in council housing, it wouldn’t surprise me.
I would personally say do
not just vote for a party based on what their views on the EU are. Look at what
they’ll for the country overall. Of course what their plan in the EU
negotiations are, is important but it really isn’t the only issue. Look at our
NHS, education system, our public services and tell me could you really stomach
voting for a party that will continue to dismantle those things whilst giving
tax cuts to the richest just because a particular MP of theirs shares your
views on the EU? For me personally, I’ll
ignore Tony Blair’s advice. I'd rather not be a Turkey voting for Christmas.
