Jonathan Cardona, Birkirkara
When Tony Blair was anti-European Union
Reading Berta Sullivan's Comparisons Are Odious (October 24), one would conclude that Joseph Muscat is trying to delude us that Tony Blair, today one of Europe's leading visionaries, was in the beginning a Eurosceptic who actually wanted to withdraw Britain from the European Union.
We should be thanking Ms Sullivan for saving us from these manipulations, by giving us quotes from Mr Blair's speeches. Or should we?
It seems that Ms Sullivan, intentionally or not, did not do her research properly. She did not go far back and in detail enough to see how Mr Blair actually launched his career in British politics.
To substantiate, I must quote. In the 1983 by-election, one of his main themes was actually the withdrawal of Britain from the EEC.
In an article for the local newspaper, the South Bucks Observer, on April 10, 1982, he supported the "Labour Party's present leadership" on all important matters including "withdrawal from the EEC". Mr Blair's election leaflet stated: "Above all, the EEC takes away Britain's freedom to follow the economic policies we need." During his 1983 election address, Mr Blair said: "We will negotiate withdrawal from the EEC which has drained our natural resources and destroyed our jobs."
So there you have it. Ms Sullivan, who also happens to be a PN employee, missed these initial moments of Mr Blair's political career.
We should give her the benefit of the doubt, as I don't think that her intentions are in any way malicious towards Dr Muscat. Furthermore, I don't really see anything wrong in this sort of change of opinion and position. The situations and conditions around us change continuously. Allies and friends develop unendingly, depending on strategic and economic factors. If opportunities change and emerge for the benefit of the country, a good leader would seize and excel in them.
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l Galea
Oct 30th 2008, 14:58
J Martinelli
If the MLP had Our Lord for its leader he will still be attacked.
Anthony Magri
Oct 30th 2008, 14:33
Changes in politics. One simple and enormous example. Relations berween Japan and the USA
J Martinelli
Oct 30th 2008, 13:18
So what else is new? We know that many a politician is inconsistent and Tony Blair some thirty years ago my have been anti-EEC, only to change his mind later, so what?
The fact remains that once he saw that the EU held the future of Europe, he worked relentlessly to achieve the maximum his country could gain from the Union.
Joseph, on the other hand worked tirelessly against EU membership up until 2004, had the cheek to embrace the EU and become an MEP, but then close ranks with the MLP's EU skepticism as lately as earlier on this year!
Now Joseph compares himself to Tony Blair and tries to convince us that he is now pro-EU !
Pretty soon he will tell us that his U-turn was divinely inspired ala the conversion of St. Paul. He too saw the light.
John Saliba
Oct 30th 2008, 12:18
So, Mr. Cardona, Tony Blair launched his political career as an anti-Eu. Shame he was immature and as time passed, by and grew up, he changed his mind. Pity ,Joseph was against the EU and because he was an MEP he changed his mind. The problem is that one and all can see that he is still immature, not to mention incompetent.
Liam Kelly
Oct 30th 2008, 11:29
Don't really understand if your trying to claim Blair was a eurosceptic or pro european...but your claim that he is a leading visionary does not make sense.
Is this the same man who blatantly lied to the world and went into a war with Iraq, leading to huge loss of life and creating a free for all for insurgency in Iraq while badly damaging the reputation and policy credentials of the UK? hardly visionary is it ?
Would this be the man who's recorded conversation proves that he bowed to George Bush's every demand?
Would this be the same man who fulfilled his school building and hospital building plans on Public Private Partnerships? which has lined the pockets of the few and burdened the tax payers, their children and children with paying them off for years to come?
Surely Sir, we are talking about a very different man.