Tony Blair was a lucky leader, not a great one

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/14/tony-blair-lucky-leader-not-great-one

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As a Labour party activist with no factional adherence, I am intrigued that, to promote a return of New Labour, Blairites resurrect the myth that their man was a magical vote-winner (Report, 11 May). With strong and weak points, Tony Blair was blessed with good fortune. He became leader of the opposition after John Smith’s premature death. He had a relatively easy job battling a weak prime minister overshadowed by his predecessor, Margaret Thatcher, and leading a basket case of a sleaze-ridden Tory party in turmoil over Europe. Generally, Blair played his cards well, even benefitting by being edged out by Gordon Brown’s destabilising agenda just in time before the financial crash that surfaced in 2007. After Iraq, Blair had become very unpopular and was heading for electoral defeat.

Cameron's actions belie the rhetoric of one-nation conservatism and the defence of liberty

There is nothing to be gained by a battle of the labels – “Old” v “New”. There is everything to be gained by examining the huge issues we face: our planet’s safety, international tensions, unregulated, dysfunctional global markets, the EU, the nature of our economy/society and growing inequalities within and between nations. Labour must develop coherent policies, be they “left” or “right”, to tackle these problems and gather a progressive alliance in support across all social groups.Nigel de GruchyOrpington, Kent

• Less than one week after Lib Dem MPs were culled in the general election (Report, 9 May), the country is seeing what happens when David Cameron is able to form a majority Tory government. His actions belie the rhetoric of one-nation conservatism and the defence of liberty. The Human Rights Act is to go, we are to be monitored ever more closely by the state, and the equalities department opposes hard-won equal rights. Any positive proposals by his government have been “cut and pasted” from the Lib Dems’ manifesto.

All is not lost. The Lib Dems still have a strong presence in Westminster, ironically now in the Lords; our election review is well under way, energised by the 10,000-plus increase in membership over the last week. Pundits should be wary of conducting an autopsy on the Lib Dems. A tad bruised we may be; dead, we are not.Ian GL JonesChair, North-East Liberal Democrats

• Last week in England, on the same day as the general election, outside London thousands of local council seats were up for grabs. Yet a week after the event there has been no mention, no usual results list, nothing. An example par excellence of London-centricity. A correction appeared regarding six misplaced seats from the parliamentary results but how about who controls our town halls?Leslie FreitagHarpenden, Hertfordshire

• Last Friday morning I lost my faith in democratic values. According to Theresa May, this seems now to make me a dangerous extremist.Paul GriseriGosport, Hampshire