“A remarkably promising start” — the Thatcherite Adam Smith Institute on the Blair Government.
“Instead of pretending that a Conservative government would be playing things differently, why not congratulate Tony Blair for doing exactly what a Conservative government would have done?” — Matthew Parris, The Sun.
“Blair...aims to kill off the Conservative Party by making it redundant. The Tory opposition can only protest forlornly that New Labour is carrying out Tory policies” — Jimmy Reid, Glasgow Herald.
“The free market does not distribute fairly or efficiently: it produces inequality and monopoly...The nineties will not see the continuing triumph of the market but its failure.” — Tony Blair, 1987.
“During the election campaign, Mr Blair showed himself capable of cut-throat cynicism...‘We won’t spend £60 million on a new royal yacht while patients are lying on trolleys in hospital corridors,’ he told a crowd in Edinburgh. Then, turning to the journalist Robert Harris he said...‘I always use it. It’s been well worth £60 million.’ ...” — Sunday Telegraph.
“Mr Blair...urged MPs not to tell the media about PLP debates, though his own speech was officially distributed”. — The Guardian, 18/12/1997.
“The threat by Formula One to relocate its motor racing activities outside Europe in the event of an early EU tobacco sponsorship ban was an empty one, according to academics who have spent 18 months investigating the industry...the research team found that the integration of engineering and other specialist knowledge within “Motor Sport Valley”, a 100 mile crescent across southern England, cannot be recreated elsewhere in an acceptable timeframe and F1 managements are well aware of this.” — Financial Times.
“How is it hypocrisy? I told Gordon before the election that it was an offshore family trust. I told him that if he wanted me in the Treasury I would support the policy on off-shore funds ...” — Geoffrey Robinson.
“Please be assured that I will actively support all moves in Parliament to ban hunting and to improve animal welfare generally.” — Kate Hoey MP (one of only two Labour MPs to vote against the bill to ban foxhunting) in a letter to a constituent before the General Election.
“Michael Foster’s foxhunting Bill is a bloody nuisance...I’d rather avoid the issue than be pushed into a ban.” — Austin Mitchell MP.