Tony Blair has been speaking to the media again. He’s been putting forward his thoughts about why Brexit shouldn’t happen and why a new radical centrist political revolution is needed. But people on social media didn’t seem to give two hoots what the ex-Prime Minister had to say. And their responses are priceless.
Radical centre-ground?
Blair, in a number of interviews, including a written opinion piece for iNews, has been attempting to assert his political influence. He’s been showing great concern for the direction Brexit is going and that even Labour’s policy is going in the direction of leaving the single market. He also believes from his own conversations in Europe, that there could be more flexibility in the negotiations than currently presented.
But he now firmly thinks that Brexit shouldn’t happen, as he told Sophy Ridge on Sky News.
The position comes in tandem with a renewed effort to promote his own type of politics. This is despite wide concessions from many of Jeremy Corbyn’s critics of the Labour leader’s success in bringing the party to where it currently is with an eight point lead in the polls. Blair, while acknowledging Corbyn’s achievements, writes that his leadership, along with Brexit brings risks.
Blair thinks it is a time for a different type of revolution. He cites a poll[pdf] his institution conducted as evidence. And he describes the thirst for Corbyn’s manifesto as populism:
But the poll also shows that support for the centre stays strong. People will default to populism when a radical centre is not on offer.
Blair is almost certainly out promoting the fruits of his newest policy unit. The unit was set up before the new year to come up with a Brexit agenda for the centre-ground.
But while the media is giving his agenda plenty of column inches, social media news feeds are providing their own commentary on Blair’s musings.
We don’t give a shit
On Twitter, people were essentially asking, ‘why are you talking?’:
It's the way the media use the "Tony Blair intervention". Nobody gives a snails shit what the discredited warmonger thinks.
— Rachael Swindon #WeAreCollective (@Rachael_Swindon) July 15, 2017
They reference his acute lack of self-awareness:
I love* that Tony Blair is so narcissistic that he thinks we will overlook half a million deaths and his work for tyrants.
(*Not love)
— Will Black 🍓🍄🚀 (@WillBlackWriter) July 15, 2017
And why is anyone giving him a platform anyway:
https://twitter.com/aup_letstalk/status/886129278940848128
Which really feeds into how counterproductive anything Blair says really is:
https://twitter.com/hrtbps/status/886143425984286720
Every time Tony Blair bad-mouths Jeremy Corbyn, it makes Corbyn look even more credible.#News #Corbyn #JC4PM pic.twitter.com/Cg2wn5zIsY
— Joss Sheldon (@JossSheldon) July 15, 2017
But then others thought that Blair was the man to bring unity:
Tony Blair wheeled out again in an attempt to unite the country.
Most of the country are already united on Tony Blair as they hate him.
— Swingometer Soozie🌈 (@SwingometerSooz) July 15, 2017
Ultimately, it’s quite clear what Blair’s dig on Corbyn was about:
I see Tony Blair has taken time off from advising murderous dictators to try and sabotage Labour's chances of winning the next election
— Owen Jones (@owenjonesjourno) July 15, 2017
Electing @jeremycorbyn would possibly mean Blair finally brought to account Re Iraq no wonder he sabotages Labour https://t.co/xN2VDtRHVG
— MichelleSweeney #BLM🌹👋🏻.☮️🌍🕊⚖️ (@wavemich43) July 15, 2017
And lest we forget:
Unrelatedly, Tony Blair is a disgusting war criminal who earns a living by advising dictators https://t.co/yPJ69MmEVv
— Luke Savage (@LukewSavage) July 14, 2017
So it seems that Blair may or may not have had some interesting things to say. But ultimately, no-one gives a rat’s arse.
Get Involved!
– Read more Canary articles on Tony Blair and Brexit.
Featured image via Chatham House