Blair: British public 'comes first' in important stuff

Today Blair made a statement in which he promised that he will no longer be party leader by this time next year. He also took a swipe at those who neglected to consider the significance of the great unwashed - joe public - in matters as 'important' as which Labour neocon lords it over them:

"I think it's important for the Labour party to understand, and I think the majority of people in the party do understand, that it's the public that comes first and it's the country that matters, and we can't treat the public as irrelevant bystanders in a subject as important as who is their prime minister." Link

Given this sudden genuine reverence for the views of the public in matters of importance he may like to consider the following:

Nearly three quarters of the public (73 per cent) believe that "the British Government's foreign policy, especially its support for the invasion of Iraq and refusal to demand an immediate ceasefire by Israel in the recent war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, has significantly increased the risk of terrorist attacks on Britain".

Moreover, three fifths (62 per cent) agree that "in order to reduce the risk of future terrorist attacks on Britain the Government should change its foreign policy, in particular by distancing itself from America, being more critical of Israel and declaring a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq". Link

It is also predicted [you heard it here first] that Blair will be a strong contender for some recognition in 2007 from the Nobel Foundation because, as he says in his statement linked above:

"We've got the blockade on the Lebanon lifted, today."

Hurrah for Tony!