The End of the Party, 1d/1 (Blameron)
anonymous
September 5 2013, 11:40:00 UTC
It's poisoning him from within, spreading through his tissues like a cancer, and with every concession to his rabid backbenchers the shame grows and weakens him further. If Tony could do one thing for him, it would be to lift the burden of fear from him so that he could govern on his own terms. Let Dave set his own agenda, let him stop trying to thread the needle of far right backbenchers and liberal coalition partners and a populist gutter press and follow his own instincts. Half his instincts are terrible and they would cost him the election, but he's going to lose anyway, doomed by his unpopular party and uneven voter distributions. At least this way he could walk out of Number 10 with his head held high.
In place of fear, Tony thinks, the phrase swimming unbidden into his thoughts, and he grins to himself at the irony. But maybe it's apt. His critics accuse him of harboring a messiah complex, but he has always understood, in a way that most of his party do not, that you can never actually save people. All you can do is give them the opportunity to save themselves. The great task of Western democracy is to create a space free from tyranny and injustice and disease and systemic poverty and the shackles of past prejudice in which people can make that choice- what they do with their freedom is up to them. The liberation of Iraq was founded on the same principles as the NHS.
And for this Tory prime minister who wants to dismantle Nye Bevan's great work, should Tony want that freedom any less than he does for the smallest Iraqi child? They are still his people, all of them, even now. Rich or poor, honest or crooked, selfish or noble, right or wrong, Labour or Tory or sodding Ukip or too apathetic to have any political allegiance at all, they will always be his people and he loves them unconditionally. They may have rejected him, but he still wants the best for them, every single one.
Even the ones with growing bald spots, skewed priorities and an anti-social legislative agenda.
He can't give David the courage to be the prime minister he could be. That's something David will have to find within himself. But Tony can hold the door open for him so he can see outside the narrow walls of the prison in which Ukip and the Daily Mail and the Tory backbenchers have trapped him. Inside there is nothing but a sullen grey politics of fear, but outside there is the world, in all its glorious messy splendor. There are storms out there as well as sunshine; Tony knows that only too well. International politics has never been pretty or clean, and most victories are partial or come stained with innocent blood. But how much better to step outside and feel the wind in your hair, even if the breeze is tainted with the scent of smoke!
He smooths down Dave's hair one last time and bends down to plant a kiss on the top of his head in silent benediction. David shivers under his lips and turns to look up at him again, his blue eyes full of pain, and Tony’s heart aches for him and for the statesman he could be if only he were brave enough.
"Let's say they do throw you out after May. That means you have two months left. And for those two months you're Prime Minister. So why don't you forget about Ukip and govern like you mean it?"
Re: The End of the Party, 1d/1 (Blameron)
anonymous
September 21 2013, 21:53:01 UTC
Wow, AA, this is terrific! Please don't apologise for your Tony, who was such a pleasure to read! This is clearsighted and sad and gently humourous all at the same time. It's been a long time (I think) since we've had anything so wise on here.
Sorry for the lateness of the comment, and for lack of quotes - commenting in anon mode means I only have part 4 above me, but the bit where Tony identifies gay marriage as David's signature accomplishment, and places him in the lineup of prime ministers past was pretty powerful. The whole piece seemed to me very insightful.
*stops rambling incoherently and lets AA get on with life*
Re: The End of the Party, 1d/1 (Blameron)
anonymous
November 22 2013, 18:01:48 UTC
An extremely late reply to your slightly late comment, but thank you for your kind words, anon! I wasn't sure if anyone would go for Blameron, so I'm delighted to have at least one happy reader.
Please don't apologise for your Tony, who was such a pleasure to read!
I'm glad you enjoyed him. (Although I did think the bit where he equated the Iraq War with the NHS needed some kind of public health warning!)
In place of fear, Tony thinks, the phrase swimming unbidden into his thoughts, and he grins to himself at the irony. But maybe it's apt. His critics accuse him of harboring a messiah complex, but he has always understood, in a way that most of his party do not, that you can never actually save people. All you can do is give them the opportunity to save themselves. The great task of Western democracy is to create a space free from tyranny and injustice and disease and systemic poverty and the shackles of past prejudice in which people can make that choice- what they do with their freedom is up to them. The liberation of Iraq was founded on the same principles as the NHS.
And for this Tory prime minister who wants to dismantle Nye Bevan's great work, should Tony want that freedom any less than he does for the smallest Iraqi child? They are still his people, all of them, even now. Rich or poor, honest or crooked, selfish or noble, right or wrong, Labour or Tory or sodding Ukip or too apathetic to have any political allegiance at all, they will always be his people and he loves them unconditionally. They may have rejected him, but he still wants the best for them, every single one.
Even the ones with growing bald spots, skewed priorities and an anti-social legislative agenda.
He can't give David the courage to be the prime minister he could be. That's something David will have to find within himself. But Tony can hold the door open for him so he can see outside the narrow walls of the prison in which Ukip and the Daily Mail and the Tory backbenchers have trapped him. Inside there is nothing but a sullen grey politics of fear, but outside there is the world, in all its glorious messy splendor. There are storms out there as well as sunshine; Tony knows that only too well. International politics has never been pretty or clean, and most victories are partial or come stained with innocent blood. But how much better to step outside and feel the wind in your hair, even if the breeze is tainted with the scent of smoke!
He smooths down Dave's hair one last time and bends down to plant a kiss on the top of his head in silent benediction. David shivers under his lips and turns to look up at him again, his blue eyes full of pain, and Tony’s heart aches for him and for the statesman he could be if only he were brave enough.
"Let's say they do throw you out after May. That means you have two months left. And for those two months you're Prime Minister. So why don't you forget about Ukip and govern like you mean it?"
Reply
Sorry for the lateness of the comment, and for lack of quotes - commenting in anon mode means I only have part 4 above me, but the bit where Tony identifies gay marriage as David's signature accomplishment, and places him in the lineup of prime ministers past was pretty powerful. The whole piece seemed to me very insightful.
*stops rambling incoherently and lets AA get on with life*
Please don't ever leave the meme!
Reply
Please don't apologise for your Tony, who was such a pleasure to read!
I'm glad you enjoyed him. (Although I did think the bit where he equated the Iraq War with the NHS needed some kind of public health warning!)
Reply
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