Blair on Today Programme: Liveblog
The Prime Minister Tony Blair will be interviewed by John Humphrys on the Today Programme in a few minutes.
I'll live blog it here, refresh the article to see the updates.
8.10
TB in a surgery in Sedgefield. JH says "We can't go on like this", TB says let the investigation run its course. Explains how his day doesn't touch Cash for Peerages much.
8.12 TB, "When it is over I'll be happy to answer questions on it"
8.14 TB "The relationship between politics and the modern media is a study all in itself".
8.15 JH suggests TB can go next week.
8.16 Reiterates there's certain things he wants to finish.
8.16 JH 10 years ago you said, "people think I'm a pretty straight kind of guy" - TB "I thought you were going to ask me that"... "I'm not going to beg for my character - plead for my integrity".
8.18 NHS funding. JH "Shouldn't you have made the machine run properly first and then pump the money in?" TB, "We've done both together". Improvements in cancer services, cardiac care. Invoked letters from people whose relatives had died waiting for treatment. A&E services are transformed, "People used to wait for days on trolleys".
8.22 TB If politicians got the same satisfaction ratings as GPs we'd be very pleased.
8.23 "The traditional methods of productivity don't take into account the improvements in service". Productivity in the NHS has improved if you include outcomes.
8.25 TB defends reorganisations as unsurprising. JH "What you did was throw money at it"
8.26 JH "Social mobility has declined - that's a terrible thing to say about a Labour government" TB, "There is an issue about services for the very poorest" says though educational opportunities - the city academy programme - that we'll improve this.
8.27 JH quotes Alan Milburn saying it's not possible for a young working class person to rise in 20 years to be in the cabinet. (bollocks)
8.29 TB - In the next few months we will target the socially excluded. It's a different problem from when Alan Milburn was growing up when the working class was a bigger thing
8.30 TB - we won't end poverty by clobbering the wealth creators
8.31 JH - "Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime" "When you said that, did you envisage a Home Office not fit for purpose ten years on?"
8.32 TB Crime down (JH - Violent street crime up) Immigration system sorted, tackling ASB, built 20,000 prison places.
8.34 JH What's gone wrong since 1997? People are disaffected with politics now. How much are you to blame for it? TB, There's an issue about how media interacts with politics JH, But you're the spinner TB You say that as though it's a fact JH, It is
8.36 TB - The country is transformed, Health transformed, Education transformed, Pensioners lifted out of poverty. It's the nature of the business, you can't please all the people all the time. "The only times I ever find it difficult is when I think I've done the wrong thing - when instead of doing what I think is right, I have instead done what is easy", "If you told me 10 years ago what would be the facts about the country, I think I'd have bitten your arm off for that".
8.38 JH. We'll talk about Iraq in the next interview
8.12 TB, "When it is over I'll be happy to answer questions on it"
8.14 TB "The relationship between politics and the modern media is a study all in itself".
8.15 JH suggests TB can go next week.
8.16 Reiterates there's certain things he wants to finish.
8.16 JH 10 years ago you said, "people think I'm a pretty straight kind of guy" - TB "I thought you were going to ask me that"... "I'm not going to beg for my character - plead for my integrity".
8.18 NHS funding. JH "Shouldn't you have made the machine run properly first and then pump the money in?" TB, "We've done both together". Improvements in cancer services, cardiac care. Invoked letters from people whose relatives had died waiting for treatment. A&E services are transformed, "People used to wait for days on trolleys".
8.22 TB If politicians got the same satisfaction ratings as GPs we'd be very pleased.
8.23 "The traditional methods of productivity don't take into account the improvements in service". Productivity in the NHS has improved if you include outcomes.
8.25 TB defends reorganisations as unsurprising. JH "What you did was throw money at it"
8.26 JH "Social mobility has declined - that's a terrible thing to say about a Labour government" TB, "There is an issue about services for the very poorest" says though educational opportunities - the city academy programme - that we'll improve this.
8.27 JH quotes Alan Milburn saying it's not possible for a young working class person to rise in 20 years to be in the cabinet. (bollocks)
8.29 TB - In the next few months we will target the socially excluded. It's a different problem from when Alan Milburn was growing up when the working class was a bigger thing
8.30 TB - we won't end poverty by clobbering the wealth creators
8.31 JH - "Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime" "When you said that, did you envisage a Home Office not fit for purpose ten years on?"
8.32 TB Crime down (JH - Violent street crime up) Immigration system sorted, tackling ASB, built 20,000 prison places.
8.34 JH What's gone wrong since 1997? People are disaffected with politics now. How much are you to blame for it? TB, There's an issue about how media interacts with politics JH, But you're the spinner TB You say that as though it's a fact JH, It is
8.36 TB - The country is transformed, Health transformed, Education transformed, Pensioners lifted out of poverty. It's the nature of the business, you can't please all the people all the time. "The only times I ever find it difficult is when I think I've done the wrong thing - when instead of doing what I think is right, I have instead done what is easy", "If you told me 10 years ago what would be the facts about the country, I think I'd have bitten your arm off for that".
8.38 JH. We'll talk about Iraq in the next interview
Blair on Today Programme: Liveblog | 33 comments (33 topical)
Blair on Today Programme: Liveblog | 33 comments (33 topical)


