# Will Blair leave sooner rather than later? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 10, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371 "2005-11-10T07:33:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/1 "2005-11-10T07:33:36Z")
Tony Blair suffered his first defeat of his premiership when the Commons [rejected](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4423678.stm) his plan to change increase the amount of time suspected terrorists can be held without charge. 49 Labour backbenchers rebelled. While this wasn’t a confidence vote (so he isn’t obligated to resign or call an election) it doesn’t look good for hime. How often does the government lose votes (excluding minority gov’ts)? Will he resign without serving a third term? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/2 "2005-11-10T08:42:42Z")
Dunno; this may be the start of the events that lead to his earlier resignation, or it may just make him grit his teeth and push harder on some of the other reform issues (particularly the education one) that he has planned. In my opinion, he still wants to achieve something big and memorable that (so he may believe) history will look back and thank him for; I think he’ll stay, but we’ll see him trying even harder to force through his reforms by sheer force of personality (as opposed to forcing them through on the basis of sound, rational argument). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/3 "2005-11-10T12:40:00Z")
As this thread seems a bit quiet, may I post something contentious about the underlying issue (that is, the proposed extension of detainment without prosecution from 14 to 90 days)? IMO, the issue is very similar to those surrounding the proposal of mandatory national ID cards: 1- A strong assertion that _we need to do this to prevent terrorism_ 2- Failure to convincingly explain _how_ the proposal will combat terrorism 3- Failure to present any past situation where, had we already accepted the proposal, _it would have prevented some terrorist act_ So it’s essential that we prune everyone’s civil rights in this way, but nobody can say _why it’s essential_, and it’s going to be really effective, but nobody can say _how it will achieve anything_. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/4 "2005-11-10T13:05:44Z")
Blair’s soundbite about it has been “Sometimes it’s better to do the right thing and lose, than to do the wrong thing and win”. I think after this he’s going to get a bit desperate - Mangetout’s right, he’s wanting to find something that he can be remembered for other than the Iraq War. I used to have at least some respect for the man, even if I didn’t agree with his politics; but him calling Blunkett an “honorable man” recently was pretty much the last straw. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/5 "2005-11-10T21:05:59Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > I used to have at least some respect for the man, even if I didn’t agree with his politics; but him calling Blunkett an “honorable man” recently was pretty much the last straw. Who’s Blunkett? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/6 "2005-11-10T21:17:14Z")
[David Blunkett](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2004/blunkett_resigns/default.stm) who has had to resign from the cabinet (for the second time) recently. > [@](#): > > At the centre of the recent controversy was Mr Blunkett’s two-week directorship of DNA Bioscience before May’s election, while he was out of the Cabinet. > > Mr Blunkett broke ministerial rules by taking that job without consulting an independent committee which advises former ministers on whether they should take up jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/7 "2005-11-10T21:23:19Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Who’s Blunkett? David Blunkett; he was Home Secretary, resigned at the centre of a moral/ethical scandal (marital infidelity and nepotism), reinstated as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, resigned again after another scandal, this time about conflict of interests (failed to declare his investments in a company that would be bidding for a contract he would be in a position to approve). [More on Blunkett here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Blunkett) My personal opinion is that he is a borderline sociopath; during his time as Home secretary, he tried very hard (yet failed) to force through a number of changes that would have eroded civil rights and privacy (for example he wanted to remove the right to trial by Jury and/or the double jeopard safeguard for certain types of offence). ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/8 "2005-11-10T22:11:21Z")
The thing that gets me about the whole Blunkett affair (apologies for the pun) is that \*no-one has admitted anything wrong was done \* - Blair and Blunkett himself are treating it as if he was merely stopped by a technicality that is unimportant. At no time has anyone accepted that he might have done something wrong here at all, even with his affair which, unlike the conflict of interests problems, is clear-cut. ---
**Author:** ![ProTem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@ProTem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProTem)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/9 "2005-11-11T00:19:57Z")
He will leave later, but first he will have to notice that following the lead of the Bush administration is no longer viable. This lack-of-due-process fight is the latest example. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/10 "2005-11-11T00:23:05Z")
Still, at least they’re better than those sleazy Tories. What we need is a Liberal Democrat government. They’re incorruptible. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/11 "2005-11-11T00:35:36Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > Still, at least they’re better than those sleazy Tories. What we need is a Liberal Democrat government. They’re incorruptible. Well they are now, ever since they got rid of the pillow-biter, Jeremy Thorpe. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/12 "2005-11-11T01:02:55Z")
And it’s easy to be incorruptable when no one thinks you’re important enough to try to corrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/13 "2005-11-12T04:27:53Z")
I think British troops will be on their way out of Iraq before summer. I heard it from someone I respect in the intelligence community and I think it’s probable based on the source. What the hell will Bush do then? And do you think a move like that will save Blair’s bacon at home? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-blair-leave-sooner-rather-than-later/330371/14 "2005-11-12T14:21:59Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > I think British troops will be on their way out of Iraq before summer. That could be just a normal rotation of troops. But the sooner they’re out, the better.