Whereas other European countries, especially France, have politicians that are so old it looks as though they may have been at the opening ceremony of Stonehenge, "Cool Britannia" now has a habit of having much younger politicians. It all started in 1997 when Blair became Britain's youngest Prime Minister since Pitt the Younger. In December, the Tories then elected a leader who is only in his late 30s. Now, Tony Blair passes the torch of New Labour to a younger generation today, anointing two junior cabinet ministers as future leaders of progressive Britain in the first insight into his struggle to secure his legacy.
Blair puts faith in next generation
Junior ministers are tipped as rising stars to combat Cameron's youthful Tory image
Gaby Hinsliff and Andrew Rawnsley
Sunday January 8, 2006
The Observer
Tony Blair passes the torch of New Labour to a younger generation today, anointing two junior cabinet ministers as future leaders of progressive Britain in the first insight into his struggle to secure his legacy.
In a revealing interview with The Observer, the Prime Minister rejected demands for what he called a 'kamikaze strategy' of shifting his party to the left in response to the revived threat from David Cameron's Conservative Party. But he moved decisively to combat fears that Cameron will make his government look old and stale by disclosing that he sees two equally youthful rising Labour stars, David Miliband and Douglas Alexander, as keepers of the Blairite flame.
The move risks provoking his heir-apparent, Gordon Brown, whose friends fear a younger rival could overtake him in the race for Downing Street. But supporters of the Chancellor said last night that it reflected arguments that Labour may do badly at the next election, forcing Brown to cut short his premiership - and leaving the long-term survival of the New Labour project in jeopardy.
Blair also revealed that even pre-school children in nurseries could be targeted under plans to reduce antisocial behaviour - warning that children from 'broken families' were more likely to go astray. And he gave the clearest signal yet that he will grant a free vote to MPs on smoking in public places, which would almost certainly trigger a total ban on cigarettes in pubs and restaurants.
Relaxed and upbeat after his holiday in Egypt, Blair admitted he could not be sure his party would let him stay in Downing Street as long as he wants, but made clear he believed his legacy was safe with those who would 'reach the top' in the coming years.
'There is a new generation coming up that in the longer term are going to keep progressive politics moving forward - the David Milibands, the Douglas Alexanders, and all those guys. They are not going to be going back to the late Seventies, early Eighties Labour,' he said.
Significantly, he said it would be 'for the party to decide' if there is an open contest for the leadership after he quits, but still believed the Chancellor would make a 'very good Prime Minister'.
Blair will begin his first week back at work by outlining plans on Tuesday to tackle antisocial behaviour and the erosion of respect in society, with a new duty on police and local councils to act on complaints of low-level disorder like graffiti.
Parenting orders, which require parents of child offenders to take responsibility, will also be expanded, and he said ministers were now studying what to do about the very youngest children, identifiable as future troublemakers.
'Obviously kids who are brought up without many opportunities, and particularly in broken families, I think there is a greater chance they go off the rails,' he said. 'There is a particular problem in Britain, as there is in all modern developed countries, with a small group of what you might call problem families who you can tell at a very early age. It's amazing when you talk to nursery teachers that you can tell even at that age.'
Blair hinted at room for compromise on the schools plan, but dismissed fears expressed by his deputy, John Prescott, that weaker schools would suffer and become ghettos for the poor: 'If we're not careful, we fall into the old heresy of levelling down rather than levelling up.'
guardian.co.uk
Blair puts faith in next generation
Junior ministers are tipped as rising stars to combat Cameron's youthful Tory image
Gaby Hinsliff and Andrew Rawnsley
Sunday January 8, 2006
The Observer
Tony Blair passes the torch of New Labour to a younger generation today, anointing two junior cabinet ministers as future leaders of progressive Britain in the first insight into his struggle to secure his legacy.
In a revealing interview with The Observer, the Prime Minister rejected demands for what he called a 'kamikaze strategy' of shifting his party to the left in response to the revived threat from David Cameron's Conservative Party. But he moved decisively to combat fears that Cameron will make his government look old and stale by disclosing that he sees two equally youthful rising Labour stars, David Miliband and Douglas Alexander, as keepers of the Blairite flame.
The move risks provoking his heir-apparent, Gordon Brown, whose friends fear a younger rival could overtake him in the race for Downing Street. But supporters of the Chancellor said last night that it reflected arguments that Labour may do badly at the next election, forcing Brown to cut short his premiership - and leaving the long-term survival of the New Labour project in jeopardy.
Blair also revealed that even pre-school children in nurseries could be targeted under plans to reduce antisocial behaviour - warning that children from 'broken families' were more likely to go astray. And he gave the clearest signal yet that he will grant a free vote to MPs on smoking in public places, which would almost certainly trigger a total ban on cigarettes in pubs and restaurants.
Relaxed and upbeat after his holiday in Egypt, Blair admitted he could not be sure his party would let him stay in Downing Street as long as he wants, but made clear he believed his legacy was safe with those who would 'reach the top' in the coming years.
'There is a new generation coming up that in the longer term are going to keep progressive politics moving forward - the David Milibands, the Douglas Alexanders, and all those guys. They are not going to be going back to the late Seventies, early Eighties Labour,' he said.
Significantly, he said it would be 'for the party to decide' if there is an open contest for the leadership after he quits, but still believed the Chancellor would make a 'very good Prime Minister'.
Blair will begin his first week back at work by outlining plans on Tuesday to tackle antisocial behaviour and the erosion of respect in society, with a new duty on police and local councils to act on complaints of low-level disorder like graffiti.
Parenting orders, which require parents of child offenders to take responsibility, will also be expanded, and he said ministers were now studying what to do about the very youngest children, identifiable as future troublemakers.
'Obviously kids who are brought up without many opportunities, and particularly in broken families, I think there is a greater chance they go off the rails,' he said. 'There is a particular problem in Britain, as there is in all modern developed countries, with a small group of what you might call problem families who you can tell at a very early age. It's amazing when you talk to nursery teachers that you can tell even at that age.'
Blair hinted at room for compromise on the schools plan, but dismissed fears expressed by his deputy, John Prescott, that weaker schools would suffer and become ghettos for the poor: 'If we're not careful, we fall into the old heresy of levelling down rather than levelling up.'
guardian.co.uk
