2006
Blair Gas Supply; Russia announces that it has cut gas supplies to the Ukraine. This results in a drop in gas pressures across Eastern Europe, as the pipes are all connected to a grid. No effect has been felt in the UK yet, since we only import a small fraction of our gas at present, but this fraction will increase rapidly over the next few years. Will this frighten Tony Blair into cranking up the nuclear capabilities? He has promised a decision on whether the government will give the go-ahead for building new nuclear stations by summer 2006. He seems rather keen, and may become more so if gas prices go through the roof.
Islam Cartoonist' just a personal view.
Tony of Shalott; Cash for Peerages; several nominees for life peerages (nominated by Tony Blair), were rejected by the House of Lords Appointments Commission. It was later revealed they had loaned large amounts of money to the Labour Party, apparently at the suggestion of fundraiser Lord Levy. It all began to look a little shaky for Blair, rapidly diving in the polls. Feverish reports in the press suggested that he seemed to be about to sing his swan song. I can't honestly remember why I used Waterhouse's image of Tennyson's Lady of Shalott, but I think it was something to do with a pervasive feeling of Blair being up "Shitte Creeke" without ye paddle and of someone drifting off to death because of succumbing to temptation (money in Blair's case). An opportunistic knight in rusty armour, Gordon Brown, looks on from the bank, rather pleased.
Clarke-Blair Race; In a series of media interviews, ex-Home Secretary Clarke, previously a strong Blair ally, voiced his anger at being sacked. Clarke claims that Blair has lost direction and should either recover it or hand over to the next man, probably Brown. Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett also urged Mr Blair and Gordon Brown to ensure a smooth transition of power. Pressed to say whether she believed Mr Blair and Mr Brown could carry out the smooth transition the Labour Party wanted, Mrs Beckett replied: "I think they can do that. I certainly hope they will do that." It seems everybody wants him to hand over the baton, even pointing him in the right direction to do so.
Noddy Bigears; The infighting between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown reaches one of its more intense peaks as the respective teams of briefers do the rounds of the media studios. Meanwhile, the man held responsible for banging their heads together in a no-nonsense beer-and-sandwiches sort of Old Labour way, Deputy PM John Prescott has been caught with his pants down on the job. He is in no fit state to bring the two "statesmen" to heel, as they fight over who gets to steer. Someone's toys will surely end up being thrown out of the car.
Condy Tinkerbell; Amidst a great fanfare of trumpets, Condoleezza Rice announces that there will be a "new kind of middle east". Violence promptly escalates in southern Lebanon and the unfortunate village of Qana (already a recipient of ordnance ten years previously) is hit by a targeted bomb. Many children are killed in the blasts. If this is a new kind of middle east, it looks remarkably like earlier versions. "Tinkerbell" Rice flits back to Israel like some kind of a "peace fairy", meets Ehud Olmert, is rebuffed by Lebanese officials, issues pronouncements, looks concerned, and flits back to Washington promising lots more of the same.
UN Flag; The momentous achievement of the UN draft resolution on the violence in southern Lebanon is greeted with much derision in the real world. Lebanon rejects it and asks to be consulted. The Arab League meets and decides it needs to send a delegation to the UN to insist its voice is heard. Most importantly, the violence continues unfettered. The UN looks like an impotent talking shop. The flag substituted with speech bubbles and shot through with bullet holes seemed an appropriate metaphor. Po-faced? Moi?
Prescott Cowboy; While Tony Blair is on holiday, deputy John Prescott steps disastrously into the sheriff's boots. He then characteristically shoots himself in the foot by letting slip an aside that George Bush's foreign policies are "crap". Certain similarities between these two political "heavyweights" suddenly become obvious.
Clarke Wrestler; Tony Blair is under increasing pressure from all sides; his back bench are revolting, the cabinet is split, and Gordon Brown keeps up the relentless campaign of fury. A meeting between Blair and Brown is said to have erupted into warfare, but no ostensible promise of a resignation date is given by Blair. They pose separately, smiling to the cameras and Blair seems to think the furore is over. The next day, the disgruntled bulk of Charles Clarke (a spurned ex-Blairite ex-Home Secretary) gives an interview in which he rubbishes Brown's character, but it is not seen as any kind of help to Blair - merely more trouble.
Tory Baggage; Youthful, vigorous, bicycling Tory leader David Cameron surges ahead in the polls. Unfortunately for his green credentials and aspirations, it is revealed that while he cylces to work, his bags are carried behind in an official car. Meanwhile, in his lurch towards the political centre of the road, it remains to be seen if he has vanquished the old bedrock of the party faithful - the abysmal leaders, privatisers, fat cats, creatures of the night, Eurosceptics and psychotic Thatcherites - in short, the baggage.
Barroso Leading Man; Barroso attempts top lead the people of Europe through the revolutionary days of the Lisbon Treaty. Pastiche of the Delacroix painting.
