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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Somewhere On A Hard Drive...

I have an image of Tony Blair...ex British Prime Minister. I was originally testing the new(my first)digital camera I had invested in. He turned and gave me the thumbs up.

I think I was interested more as it was a news event happening only streets away from where I live more than the fact it was him. I had images of all the satellite broadcasting trucks from major news broadcasters ready to relay the election results to the nation and the world.

At the time I did not have a blog and unless I search out those images by connecting the old hard drives and searching they will never be seen.

I'm not sure these days unless I happened to be there by chance and was wanting to put images on here I could be bothered to stand around to try and see any public figure, celebrity or politician.

Without saying whether I liked Blair or which political party I voted for or would in the future. I tend to be very unbiased how I view many events these days and I will say if I think any party can put up a very good argument for why their policies are correct.

However, I do think from the things I heard said over the years even though he was voted in as the local MP and this meant that he could continue as our Prime Minister, many voters around here felt because he was working the world stage and having a large public persona, instead of it benefiting the area, it did the opposite because he could not give enough time to local matters. It might be a perception that is wrong and there might be some statistics that show he did give of his time generously.

I will say that when he announced he was stepping down as Prime Minster with a year still remaining before a general election had to be called I thought that he should've spent that last year showing how grateful he was to those who elected him into power.

Instead he quit British politics altogether and started performing on the world stage. Being a consultant to companies, doing lecture tours and taking on other commitments such as a kind of ambassador to try and help bring peace to the Middle East(a wonderful idea if it could be pulled off)but experts and ordinary people around the world have their views on his suitability for holding such a post. That's not for me to say.

What has also been noticed by many is how "Rich" he is and what he has managed to amass in his personal finances.

It could argued that we all have the right to use whatever we can to secure a future where we are secure financially and so he is no different so is such criticism justified...I am unsure.

My one observation and I always thought it(again rightly or wrongly)he always made an appearance at a local working man's club in the town that bore the name of his constituency and he would usually launch his campaign and go there to celebrate when successful.

And its not a case of being a snob or feeling that people are beneath me, but you could tell that under normal circumstances he would not normally mix with those who frequented this place.

It is a bit like the old joke where politicians used to like being seen kissing and holding a baby for the photo to be published in a newspaper.

What provoked the above was that the radio they look back at events that happened years ago on this day and another politician was mentioned who was a British Prime Minister years ago, Harold Wilson and I have a vague memory(I don't know if it was at a time of election)or just a normal time but we(my parents and I)must have been having a picnic or had stopped on a grass verge somewhere with others and someone informed us that he was coming by soon and I assume we all(like idiots)stood and watched his motorcade go past.

I wouldn't do that now. I cannot remember whether we all waved or stood. I cannot remember if we could see him and whether he acknowledged us in some way.

The same thing happened in Bournemouth years ago when I was on holiday. Word got around that the Queen would be coming along the road on the seafront under the cliffs(you cannot do that now)so people lined the route waiting for ages and when the motorcade swept by, it was so quick I don't think many actually saw her, it was a disappointment for many and I am sure many probably felt like saying "Was that it?"

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

apparently when Blair was at private school in Edinburgh there was certain days when members of the school helped the poor and under privileged. He volunteered for the day - but sneaked off and spent the whole day in the pub.

21 November 2011 at 10:37  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

Well, it must documented somewhere.
Interesting...

21 November 2011 at 15:00  

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