Yesterday morning on the Today programme, presenter Jim Naughtie said to David Blunkett that ..."people say, Mr Blunkett, that you have turned a blind eye to drug taking." With no hesitation at all, Blunkett proceeded to answer the question. Should he have done? Is it just a figure of speech? Or should Blunkett have taken the time to correct a very un-PC phrase?
Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of Blair's succession to the Leadership of the Labour Party and no doubt we will see the balance sheet of the Blair years all over the media. When he made his acceptance speech, Blair said: "I will make the central priority of party organisation the creation of a genuine mass membership party, with roots in our local communities speaking up for those communities because it represents them and their aspirations." Over the New Labour years party membership has fallen drammatically, and the impact of the war in Iraq is still shaking out. So, that was the first failure eh?
