Many of Tony Blair’s harshest critics seem to be Labour MPs. Loads of them seem to be calling for Blair to quit.
Surely they’re jumping the gun a bit? Don’t get me wrong — I’d love to see the back of Blair as much as the next person. But surely from the Labour Party’s point of view it’s better to wait a bit? I saw Michael Portillo on the television last week saying that if Gordon Brown become Prime Minister there will be a honeymoon period of a couple of years. If Blair is replaced sooner rather than later, any honeymoon period would be long finished by the time of the next general election. A sure-fire way to let the Tories in by the back door.
Besides, Labour’s majority has been slashed, with plenty of rebels remaining. The Labour leadership will have trouble getting its more contentious bills through anyway. No need to rush things!
Betting rid of Blair won’t get rid of New Labour anyway.
Update: BBC Scotland have asked Scottish Labour backbenchers what they think. Without even asking all of them, half have said that they want Blair to go “sooner rather than later”!
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