Changes

In May 1997 we went to vote gleefully, sure that there was going to be a change from the tired, sleaze-ridden Conservative government we'd been suffering. The Blairs' entry into Downing Street the following day - through crowds of well-wishers - was like a breath of fresh air and (perhaps fortunately) it would be years before I discovered that the 'well wishers' had been bussed in for the event. Looking back now it seems that our hopes for what the 'New Labour' government could achieve were unreasonably high and there's a special place in hell reserved for those who disappoint us in this way. I've often wondered quite how history will see Blair: Afghanistan and Iraq as well as his failure to deal with Gordon Brown would always sour his premiership for me, but to what extent could his achievements such as the Good Friday Agreement, the minimum wage and higher welfare payments be balanced against his failures?

Not all of the problems can be laid at Brown's door though. Blair's preference for 'sofa government' meant that there was a failure to allow ministers to debate key issues in cabinet, with the most glaring example being Iraq. The opposition failed lamentably to hold the government to account and Civil Servants either failed to insist on due process or were circumvented. Special advisers were allowed far too much influence, whilst advice from experts was regularly ignored or misused. Ultimately, Blair seemed incapable of defining his objectives, so victory was equally hard to define and the excess of his self belief eventually came close to delusion.