Tony Blair is the most successful Labour Prime Minister ever. He won by persuading people that Labour were interested in the centre ground of politics, did not oppose business, and believed in security, aspiration, academies, competition in the health service, reform of public services, low taxes, and so much more. Recently he wrote a strong defence of his record:
http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/in-defence-of-blairism-by-tony-blair/
Since Blair's demise, brought down by Gordon Brown, the Labour Party has engaged in a slow and now fast, journey to the hard left, via Brown then Miliband, and now Corbyn. The Labour Party is now led by a man who was a poor joke in the House of Commons from 2010-2015 for his views on so many things, his friendships with everyone from Hamas to Venezuelan Communists, and his disconnect from the realities of economics, security, the need for armed forces and so many more things too numerous to name. The Shadow Chancellor McDonnell cites Chairman Mao, will forever be known for his views on the IRA, and is manifestly worse on economics than Ed Balls. Who could have thought we would look back on Miliband / Balls and think they were not really that bad?
This blog is not an attack on the Corbynbistas, nor is it a defence of Blair. If Momentum and the Corbynistas want to destroy their party then so be it - given their behaviour so far there is little to stop them. But the serious question is where does the Labour Party go in 2016? Because if Corbyn does not improve the standing of the party in Mays elections, then many will say Miliband did well in 2015. My suspicion is that the campaigners for a centre left Labour Party will form an Anyone But Corbyn approach. One thing is clear; all my door knocking shows that Corbyn is not the answer. And it helps no one in this country if Labour is not a proper opposition.
