As the tenth anniversary (is that the right word - I've always thought that anniversaries were things to be celebrated; maybe commerated is a better choice?) draws near the craze seems to be to try and identify what that man has done for us during his reign. (Given his style - reign is exactly the right word). Already, I have seen a nice comment on his effect upon our identity where I think his collected efforts were a disaster.
I am going to cheat slightly. Well, seems appropriate given the individual we are discussing. I regret that he has wasted ten years. He came into power with a truly overwhelming majority and surging support for his NewLabour ideas. After the dying years of the Tory long innings there was much to correct and much scope for new initiatives. Yet, looking at what has actually happened it is hard to see where he has achieved anything. The indication of what was to come should have been apparent with the saga of the Millennium Dome where they took over the Hesseltine project when the government changed. The opening night was a defining moment in my attitude to the new boys in town. Guests stranded far away, Old Langs Syne with the Queen forced into an up market Knees Up Mother Brown routine, dodgy fireworks - all the clues were there.
There has been no lack of new clothes for the Emperor. But, time and again, once the initial euphoria has faded we see that there is nothing underneath the spin and, sometimes, downright lies of the Mandelsons and Campbells. When detected in these twists and untruths, their corrective measures also failed. The new legislation seems to be applied in something like an Elastoplast wound dressing manner. So, marks out of 10? Twist my arm? Maybe two.
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