# What are Tony Blair's accomplishments? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073 "2002-05-27T18:42:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Kahuna_Burger)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/1 "2002-05-27T18:42:32Z")
He’s been in office for five years, he has to have done something that warranted reelection. So what has he done to help the United Kingdom? ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/2 "2002-05-27T19:08:27Z")
IMH, it’s not that New Labour have done anything to warrant re-election - more like the Conservatives are unelectable (yay!). BTW, you do know that we don’t elect the PM like you elect a President don’t you? [How the UK voting system works](http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/sep/publications/leaflets/westminster.htm) ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/3 "2002-05-27T19:59:47Z")
I suppose if you wanted opinions, you’d have put this in IMHO. Okay, facts. You don’t specify any particular area so here ya go. A couple of views from the Blair-friendly press: > **[Leader: New Labour pains](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/01/fiveyearsoflabour.labour)** > > The first five years see success and failure. Smorgasbord: [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/fiveyears/0,11899,685873,00.html](http://politics.guardian.co.uk/fiveyears/0,11899,685873,00.html) Particular area’s of interest might include; greater efforts at social inclusion (everything from getting families out of the poverty trap and mothers back to work to improved health care and schooling for the youngest kids), Constitutional reform and Economic policy – judging success or failure obviously depends on your perspective, or experience. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/4 "2002-05-27T20:03:49Z")
Increased prominence in international coalition-building? Personal achievement, certainly, but he has plenty of critics for ‘abandoning’ domestic problems for glory on the world diplomatic stage. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Kahuna_Burger)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/5 "2002-05-27T20:11:41Z")
I’m looking more for specific bills that got passed rather than platitudes from the British press, but that second link you gave me is pretty good. Also, I did know how British parliament works, but I figured the British people knew that they were going to get either Blair or Hague depending on their vote. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/6 "2002-05-27T20:32:13Z")
[HMSO: Acts of the UK Parliament](http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts.htm) Take a flick through the last few years’ Acts and there’ll be some prominent legislation in there. ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/7 "2002-05-28T06:30:42Z")
Does anyone know where a copy of the Labour “promise card” that got handed out in 1997 can be found? I cannot for the life of me remember the specifics of it, but I think that would be one measure of achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/8 "2002-05-28T07:28:06Z")
[1997 General Election manifesto](http://www.labour-party.org.uk/manifestos/1997/1997-labour-manifesto.html) I would look for the 2001 manifesto, but I’m not sure how fair it is to hold them to promises made only a year ago. The Labour Party website also has [a fairly tacky](http://php.labour.org.uk/maps/april.phtml?ctid=2718&mnu=2&topic=index) interactive map of ‘what Labour’s done for you’ for each postcode in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/9 "2002-05-28T11:58:19Z")
Establishment of devolved government in Scotland and Wales must count as a fairly major change. However, if you were to ask what the new devolved governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff have done for their people, hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/10 "2002-05-28T12:10:49Z")
I think the [Good Friday Agreement](http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/peace/docs/agreement.htm) must stand as pretty damned significant (of course there is argument as to whether we should thank Blair, Mowlam, Major, Bruton, Trimble, Hume, Ahern, Adams, etc., but it certainly happened during Blair’s tenure). ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/11 "2002-05-28T12:20:27Z")
However… Most people DIDN’T vote for Tony in the last election. ! ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/12 "2002-05-28T12:28:54Z")
That’s right, **flapcaps**. Most people voted in their own constituency. BTW, who did _most people_ vote for ? ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/13 "2002-05-28T12:33:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > I think the [Good Friday Agreement](http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/peace/docs/agreement.htm) must stand as pretty damned significant (of course there is argument as to whether we should thank Blair, Mowlam, Major, Bruton, Trimble, Hume, Ahern, Adams, etc., but it certainly happened during Blair’s tenure). I think, though, that the peace process proper was started under Major, and the groundwork leading up to this goes well back into the Tories’ watch. All the people involved deserve recognition for seeing this through, but I don’t think it’s fair to credit Blair with the Agreement except by noting that he had the good fortune to be in office at the closing stage. (I guess it suits his International Superstar who brings Peace to the World persona, though ;).) ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/14 "2002-05-28T12:41:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by London\_Calling \* > That’s right, **flapcaps**. Most people voted in their own constituency. > > BTW, who did _most people_ vote for ? If by “most” you mean “largest group”, then this goes to the non-voters. But whichever way you look at it, Labour won the largest number of actual votes. Approx: 30% didn’t vote. 28% voted for Labour. [(Source)](http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/default.stm) ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/15 "2002-05-28T12:48:14Z")
I have no idea what **flapcats** means. Hoping to find out, though. ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/16 "2002-05-28T12:48:15Z")
Sorry - wrong numbers. 40% didn’t vote. 24% voted for Labour. ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/17 "2002-05-28T13:04:50Z")
I know it’s not the main point, and a blatant hijack, but I was intrigued by the “Who got the most votes” side-line. From the spreadsheet on [this](http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/e01/results.htm) page, the individual who got the most votes was… dum dum dum… Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat, Winchester. 32,282 votes. I guess he ought to be PM then, on **flapcat** ’s new rules for democracy in Britain. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-tony-blairs-accomplishments/111073/18 "2002-05-30T13:14:31Z")
Under Flapcat’s New rules for Democracy I declare myself as prime minister. First act: Get that fiberglass removed from outside my workplace. Second act: Hmmm, I’ll move to MPSIMS with that one.