John Crace offers a biting digest of Tony Blair's recent essay on Labour's self-delusion, noting that Blair is the perfect person to critique such delusions given his own profound self-delusion. Blair's piece, titled 'Why I Have Always Been Right About Everything,' is a masterclass in narcissism and revisionism, as he positions himself as the savior Labour needs while dismissing current leaders like Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting.
Blair's Return to the Political Spotlight
Blair opens with characteristic arrogance, declaring himself the best prime minister the country ever had. He bemoans being forgotten but quickly reassures readers that he is back to guide them. He reminds everyone of his three election victories, a feat no other Labour leader has achieved, and implies he intends to keep it that way. He claims Labour is in the grip of self-delusion, making him the ideal critic—because no one is more self-deluded than himself.
Critique of Current Labour Figures
Blair dismisses Wes Streeting as merely a promising junior parliamentary private secretary had he been around in 1997. Andy Burnham is deemed acceptable but not a long-term fix. He argues that personality politics is vacuous, except when it involved him and Gordon Brown. He suggests that Keir Starmer is best placed to lose the next election, as voters have sworn never to vote Labour again under his leadership. Blair claims Labour needs to recalibrate toward the radical centre, which he equates to the centre-right or the Conservative party.
Foreign Policy and Brexit
Blair advocates for close ties with the US, praising Donald Trump as a great guy and probably the best president since George W. Bush. He defends his own role on Trump's Board of Peace and criticizes Keir Starmer for not joining the US in bombing Iran. He insists there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, though they haven't been found. On Europe, he suggests the UK should become so powerful that the EU begs to rejoin, achieved through deregulation and AI—though he admits he doesn't know what AI's benefits are.
Domestic Policy Proposals
Blair proposes radical changes: abolishing workers' rights, cutting welfare for the sick and disabled, and possibly eliminating pensions. He argues that economic growth requires sacrificing low-value human capital. He dismisses net-zero climate goals, suggesting people should accept sub-Saharan temperatures as a price for cheap fossil fuels. He hints that his institute, TBI, is open to donations from oil corporations.
Conclusion
Blair concludes that Labour must become the Tory party to win, and he has written Kemi Badenoch's manifesto accordingly. He declares a new age of Tony, rising from the dead to lead again. John Crace's digest exposes the absurdity of Blair's self-importance and his inability to see his own delusions while critiquing others.
