Results in Britian

[erpowers]

What do DUers think about the election in Britian? In case you have not heard the Labour Party has won a small majority. What do members of DU think brought about the election results?

[Spectral]

1. All the crap in the press showing Blair knew the Iraq invasion was illegal

A whole bunch of this crap hit the newspapers right before the election. Also, Rupert Murdoch was supporting Blair. That might be enough for people to stop and think.

[newscott]

2. Didn't work over here!

Maybe Tony will grow some stones if he gets back in and do the right thing and dump his partnership with Bush. Wishful thinking, I know.

[applegrove]

3. Opposition to Blair was split by two other parties. The economy is

good. The main opposition leader is very uncharismatic.

[TheFarseer]

4. I think voters like everything he is doing except Iraq

The main opposition leader supported the war. Basically, there really wasn't anywhere else to go.

[PlanetBev]

10. Another lesson in political expediency

The British opposition leader did the same thing Kerry did. He voted for the war because of pressure, not because it was the right thing. They got caught in their own webs when all they could say is "I would have done it differently."

There is a price to be paid for being a weasel.

[AP]

5. If Labour retains a majority, I'll be relieved.

I'm also stunned that so many self-identifying liberals are so willing to believe that someone's position on Iraq totally defines them.

Iraq is an incredibly complicated situation. I think that if Blair had stayed out, he might have risked being a one-termer.

I think it's obvious that everything else he has done proves that the concern of the labour party is to bury Tory fascism as quickly as possible. It's amazing, and disturbing to me that so many liberals are so easily manipulated into looking at everything through some very fuzzy anti-war goggles. But I'm not surprised that it happens. The Republicans knew what they were doing with Vietnam and with Iraq, and I think liberals are suckers for it every time. I think RFK was going show liberals how to respond when conservatives play the war card, and it's too bad he didn't live to show us the path.

[communerd]

8. well said. n/t

[newyawker99]

17. Hi communerd!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[snowbear]

6. Sounds like they wanted Gordon Brown..

...and therefore Blair got the nod.. ;)

But what really cracks me up about this election, is how Blair only used Clinton in his campaigning, and had nothing... NADA, ZIP, ZILCH to do with Mistah Bush.. :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray: :rofl: :spray:

[communerd]

7. hasn't won it yet

The exit poll has him clearly ahead, but the early results are suggesting they might have been overly favourable to him. He should still win, but I'm getting nervous...

[knight_of_the_star]

9. From what I've heard

It looks like Labour's majority is going to get pared down from 161 seats to 61 or somewhere around there. I don't like the tories anymore than I like the poodle, but maybe those results will send a strong enough message to him that the people do NOT like his support of Bush.

[Spectral]

11. Too bad they couldn't run the party without the poodle

Arf.

[snowbear]

12. If Blair wins..

...according to Charles Sabine (NBC London) on Hardball, it will be an extremely "Hollow Victory".

[burythehatchet]

13. What's remarkable is the media coverage in the UK

No MTV graphics
No musical theme
No idiot pundits
No barking
No idiocy
Just intelligent coverage and analysis.

[cestpaspossible]

14. Disappointed the Liberal Democrats didn't pick up more seats

I'll be cheering the day Brown takes over from Blair, however...

[DemocracyInaction]

15. Be glad for the Brits if Blair wins

Why the hell would you want a "Maggie Thatcher" conservative in power over there?? Jesus, we would be declaring war on the entire world by tomorrow!!! I never want those assholes in power in any country---you know, like the slime that run this country!!! BUT apparently because they will have lost a lot of seats, Tony ultimately might not survive. He may have to give over leadership of his party to someone else. Thus, Tony may not have acutally 'won'.

[erpowers]

16. Labour Gaining

It seems that Labour may be gaining seats. The early projections had them retaining only 66 seats. Now they are projected to keep 76 seats. My question now is how many seats will Blair have to lose in order to lose his position?