No one shouted Norway.... Commentators have played the tapes back and no one shouted it - this was classic Blair theatrics, ie. he made it seem as if a Tory shouted Norway. Was used to good effect though!
@thehindugod I couldn't agree more. Blair was the master orator, it didn't matter whether he was right, or whether he was wrong. If there was a debate with him in it, he would win it. That's probably the thing I miss most about having Tony as our prime minister (not that there are a lot of things I miss about him), is having a leader that was a truly spectacular speaker. Gordon and David just didn't, and don't cut it in that way.
I don't think anyone said "Norway" and the Blair told a fib to make the Tories looks stupid. Thats what I remember the commentators saying about it at the time
@Massey755 Rumour has it that no-one did. Perhaps Blair thought he heard something amidst the shouting, or maybe he jad planned the line all along to try and make the Tories look bad. Who knows, funny Commons moment though.
Iggy3d Yes it must have been pleasant to have no long term responsibility or outcome from his dishonesty, political ineptitude, crass mismanagement, lies, wars, economic illiteracy. Any fool can look clever by blewing other people's assets and long term security, squandering their rights of self determination and investing their money in his own personal self agrandisement. How very fortunate for you to have been able to enjoy the short term benefits and walk away from the long term consequences
siuphilip - I seek to influence and inform others for good as an independent but have no desire to represent their views as you have deduced I have enough of my own ;~) Farage is relatively good performer, a rapid sound bite producer, competent speaker, adroit debater but as a leader of EUkip has led them into confusion, without vision and without principle. That is not to say a new leader unassociated with the corruption amongst the leadership could not re-establish UKIP to leave the EU.
@extrusve Listen to the beginning of the clip. He's talking about the Treaty of Rome, which defines the function of the EU, and uses 'Europe' to refer to the EU.
@sketchydc ...but to argue that the economies of Norway and Switzerland are not geared towards trade within it, is fallacious. They are already WITHIN the free trade area. Norway is in the EEA. I mean...this is basic stuff. It is nothing like your cheese/tobacco example. The European Union is a gigantic, bureaucratic, top-down, federalist entity that is costing its members FAR too much money. We were asked in 1975 whether we wanted to be part of a common market, NOT a European Superstate...
alexthegorilla I lacked the arrogance or hubris to wish to represent others. Sadly in that decent people stand aside evil would seem to rise in self interest in the septic tank of politics. Do to provide examples of his positive achievements to balance the massacre of 10s of 1,000s for which he is indisputably responsible - the damage to Britain, the destruction of our economy, the loss of control of our borders our well being our health service our future & the staggering rise in taxation.
I wasn't saying anything in support of Blair. All I meant was that it doesn't work like that, in general one doesn't reminisce about something that so recently happened. Think about Bill Clinton, no one really talked about 'the good old days' (true or not) under him for a few years, it has only been relatively recently that people yearn for him.
@benjaminjean1984 Switzerland is a Tax haven?? No it isn't - it's a sovereign state. Tax havens tend to be small countries or islands which are subsidised by other states to keep their taxes low (e.g. Liechtenstein or Channel Islands). Population statistics don't invalidate a good economic model - there is no reason why a large country such as ourselves should not be outside of the E.U. - It was our 'Splendid isolation' which made us (and places like Holland) top dogs in the first place...
Blair was the master at this kind of thing, getting across the Labour message someone Brown doesnt have the charisma to do. Only over the next few yrs when the Tories mess up the nhs and our schools will people start to realise what labour did for the country.
bigman25plus25 No I did not take exams recently thus I can compare - I am in the generation that is finding it hard to find qualified employees in a generation with no hard qualifications & the highest drop out rate from Uni. In educational terms Labour have been catastrophic. A mud slide in each election I agree & look at the economy & reserves that have been squandered to achieve it. From international status as the 4th. largest economy to near pennuary with no industry - well done Labour!!
@bronzerevolution1 Coming from somebody that I can almost guarantee has never sat down and spent even five minutes actually studying the workings of the EU.
@sketchydc Well to be fair to me it's RU-vid is hardly the place for detailed economic debate. Leaving the EU will undoubtedly cause problems in the short term, and I wouldn't want that to happen. I want the EU to revert back to its status as a Free Trade Area. But even if this was not to happen and we totally withdrew, the British economy would adjust, our agricultural sector would be much more competitive. British financial services would not be facing the shackles coming from Brussels...
@EuropeanBrit Actually, Qatar is wealthiest :-p. GDP per head should be the central focus as it is primarily an economic union. What else is it? It certainly took the wrong lesson from the war in being so anti-democratic. And going back to Norway, you say "a poll", but Norway rejected EU membership in 1994 & most polls since then show they still do, some by as much as 2/3. Why would this be if the EU were such a boon?
Depends what you rate. He was a great politician, as were Hitler and Stalin - extremely successful. Egregious pondlife, possibly. But still probably did less damage than Hitler. At least to the East End.
I know that you know this. Blair made a cheap shot, as he well knew, too. But that's okay .. he did his fair share in leading us into european soviet tyranny by at the very least surrendering our hard won national rebate. He played his part in the destruction of sovereign Britain and I hope the history books record him as such.
Even this clip shows Blair to be dishonest on camera at Westminster - he says 'name one other country in Europe' - the riposte is Norway, upon which Blair distorts the argument by changing the question. He repeatedly misreprents the EU as Europe and can not honestly relay his own corrupt argument set to surrender these United Kingdoms to centralised, alien and foreign corrupt and undemocratic law making. The man brings nothing but shame and dishonour to Britain & damage to our economy & jobs.
cliché Cameron is doing worse for a country that already had a high level of unemployment and is close to having the highest crime rate in the world. Time to build a barrier around London eh, because conservatives don't give two shits about what is outside of the box.. US is a fine example.
So I assume you spent all of 1992 and 1993 talking about how much you missed the good ol' times under Thatcher? You never really start 'reminiscing' for a little while.
219970 you said: "He is guilty of spin, of "sexing up"....but not even the BBC or other critics accused him of lying." & "that two independent courts" Neither hearing was by an independent Court - not only were they politically appointed but the paramaters were drawn up to ensure a given verdict. Did you read the transcript of the summing up where it was absolutely clear there was guilt but not within the narrowly defined paramaters - as for the BBC every report shows them as biased! Blair LIED
@sketchydc Oh and by the way, don't insult my intelligence and then spell argument "arguement". And reform clearly has not worked, as the EU continues to become this illiberal, undemocratic monster. When was the last time the EU's own auditors signed off on the EU budget? 14 years ago. That reform you're on about is clearly working like a charm.
@sketchydc The collapse of the £? Joblessness? How many jobs do you think the British have in Brussels? Because surely those are the jobs to which you are intimating. And of COURSE the dole queue's in Switzerland and Norway are positively snaking round corners. Breadlines everywhere! Reforming it from within has not worked. Because we have created a monster of a bureaucracy that has more competencies today than ever. Your economic illiteracy is only outdone by your political naivety. Congrats.
davidmannion In what way do you feel she lied, do you not believe in the fundamental concept of the democratic rights of the indigenous peoples? Or is it that you believe she lied to defend the principles of Sovereignty? In what way do YOU find the defence of principles to be a lie? I can no more agree with your preposterous statement than concede to such a lack of thought OR morality on your part.
I liked Tony Blair. The only thing i can really disagree with him on is Iraq. But still the worst thing that happened to blair was that twat George W Bush. Apart from that I still support Tony.
