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Tony Blair Wants U.K. to ‘Rise Up’ and Stay in E.U. But Will Anyone Listen? Tony Blair Wants U.K. to ‘Rise Up’ and Stay in E.U. But Will Anyone Listen?
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — With his reputation tarnished by his support for the Iraq war, the former prime minister Tony Blair is a diminished figure these days in Britain, the country he led for a decade.LONDON — With his reputation tarnished by his support for the Iraq war, the former prime minister Tony Blair is a diminished figure these days in Britain, the country he led for a decade.
So when Mr. Blair forcefully urged opponents of withdrawal from the European Union to “rise up” on Friday and persuade other Britons to rethink their decision to leave the bloc, he left both allies and adversaries debating whether his intervention would help, or hinder, the pro-European cause. So when Mr. Blair forcefully urged opponents of a British withdrawal from the European Union to “rise up” on Friday and to persuade others to rethink their decision to leave the bloc, he left allies and adversaries alike wondering if his intervention would help, or hinder, the European cause.
In a speech in London, Mr. Blair castigated the government of Prime Minister Theresa May, which he said was “obsessed” with a withdrawal, known as Brexit, from the 28-nation bloc. He added that ideologues were driving the process, and he warned of the “possibility of the breakup” of Britain, amid pressure for the independence of Scotland, where the majority of voters supported remaining in the European Union. In a speech in London, Mr. Blair castigated the government of Prime Minister Theresa May, which he said was “obsessed” with a withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc, a process known as Brexit. He said ideologues were driving the process, and he warned of the “possibility of the breakup” of Britain amid strong support in Scotland for independence. A majority of Scottish voters supported remaining in the European Union.
Mrs. May once opposed leaving the European Union, but after British voters narrowly decided in a referendum in June to do so, toppling Prime Minister David Cameron in the process, Mrs. May — as his successor — has committed herself to making Brexit happen. But how to extricate Britain from a union that began in 1973 has been anything but easy. Mrs. May once opposed leaving the European Union. But after British voters narrowly decided in a June referendum to leave the bloc, leading Prime Minister David Cameron to step down, Mrs. May committed to honoring the result and making the departure happen. But deciding how to extricate Britain from a union that began in 1973 has been anything but easy.
This month, the House of Commons voted to give Mrs. May the power to trigger Brexit negotiations, with support from the opposition Labour Party, which Mr. Blair once led. Before the referendum, a majority of lawmakers from both major parties were opposed to Brexit, but after the vote, to go against the outcome of the referendum seemed politically toxic. During the referendum campaign last year, Mr. Blair had argued against Brexit. Before the referendum, a majority of lawmakers from both major parties had opposed a departure, as had Mr. Blair. But going against the outcome of the referendum has since seemed politically toxic. With the support of the opposition Labour Party, which Mr. Blair once led, the House of Commons voted this month to give Mrs. May the power to start negotiations to leave the bloc.
Though the unelected House of Lords has yet to vote, Britain now seems set on the path to a “hard Brexit” — a clean, if turbulent, break — from the bloc, with Mrs. May arguing that Britain should leave the European single market, a free-trade zone in goods and some services, and its customs union, which eliminates tariffs and customs checks. Though the unelected House of Lords has yet to vote on the matter, Britain now seems set on a path to a “hard Brexit” — a clean, if turbulent, break — from the bloc, with Mrs. May arguing that Britain should leave the European single market, a free-trade zone in goods and some services, as well as its customs union, which eliminates tariffs and customs checks.
Mr. Blair’s many critics on the left and right of the political spectrum were swift to respond to his plea on Friday. They accused him of ignoring the democratic outcome of the referendum, in which 52 percent of those who voted opted to quit, and 48 percent to remain. Mr. Blair’s many critics on the left and right were swift to respond to his plea on Friday. They accused him of ignoring the outcome of a democratic referendum, in which 52 percent of those who voted opted to leave and 48 percent to remain.
The former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith accused Mr. Blair of “arrogance” while Kate Hoey, a Labour lawmaker who argued for withdrawal, described Mr. Blair’s speech as “patronizing.” The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who was one of the leading proponents of Brexit, mocked Mr. Blair, saying: “I say to the British people, ‘Rise up and turn off the TV the next time Tony Blair is on.’ ” The former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith accused Mr. Blair of “arrogance,” while Kate Hoey, a Labour lawmaker who argued for withdrawal, described Mr. Blair’s speech as “patronizing.” The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, one of the leading proponents of a British exit, mocked Mr. Blair. “Rise up and turn off the TV the next time Tony Blair is on,” he said.
Almost two decades after he swept to power in a landslide electoral victory, Mr. Blair’s delivery was fluent and familiar, as he called on pro-Europeans to try to change the terms of the debate, by creating an understanding of the costs “as the facts of Brexit become clear.” Almost two decades after Mr. Blair swept to power in a landslide electoral victory, his delivery on Friday was fluent and familiar, calling on pro-Europeans to try to change the terms of the debate by creating an understanding of the costs, “as the facts of Brexit become clear.”
The government’s objective was, he said, to pursue “Brexit at any cost,” adding “our challenge is to expose relentlessly what that cost is,” and to find “a way out from the present rush over the cliff’s edge.” The government’s objective was to pursue “Brexit at any cost,” he said, adding, “our challenge is to expose relentlessly what that cost is” and to find “a way out from the present rush over the cliff’s edge.”
Mr. Blair argued that Britons had voted last year to leave the bloc without knowing what would replace membership, and, taking questions after his speech, he likened the decision to agreeing to a home-swap without seeing the other house. “Now they are going to see it,” he said, adding that he suspected that they might “scratch their heads and start changing their minds.” Mr. Blair argued that Britons had voted to leave the bloc without knowing what would replace membership, and, taking questions after his speech, he likened the decision to agreeing to swap homes without seeing the other house.
They would, he suggested, discover there would “misery” without any effect on the type of immigration about which they were most concerned, namely that from outside the European Union, which the government already controls, but has failed to curb. “Now they are going to see it,” he said, adding that he suspected people might “scratch their heads and start changing their minds.”
Mr. Blair said he intended to set up an institute to make the case against “Brexit at any cost,” but he denied he was thinking of establishing a new centrist political party, as some have speculated. Opponents would, he suggested, discover that there would be “misery,” yet no effect on the type of immigration about which they were most concerned — from outside the European Union — which he said the government already controls but has failed to curb.
Nevertheless, while fiercely critical of the government, Mr. Blair was equally hard on the Labour Party, which, under its left-wing leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is badly trailing Mrs. May’s Conservatives in the opinion polls. “The debilitation of the Labour Party is the facilitator of Brexit,” Mr. Blair asserted. Mr. Blair said he intended to set up an institute to make the case against a “Brexit at any cost,” but he denied planning to establish a centrist political party, as some have speculated.
Many voters who normally elect Labour lawmakers ignored their advice and opted for Brexit, provoking a deep crisis of confidence within the party. So far there is little sign that they, or the population in general, have changed their minds in significant numbers. Nevertheless, while fiercely critical of the government, Mr. Blair was equally hard on the Labour Party, which, under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, is badly trailing Mrs. May’s Conservatives in opinion polls. “The debilitation of the Labour Party is the facilitator of Brexit,” Mr. Blair asserted.
Though Mrs. May opposed Brexit in last year’s referendum, she has since embraced it with enthusiasm, as has almost all of her Conservative Party. Many voters who normally support Labour ignored their advice on the referendum and supported a British departure from the bloc, provoking a deep crisis of confidence in the party. So far, there is little sign that they, or the population in general, have changed their minds in significant numbers.
Mrs. May has tilted toward a clean break with the European Union, reflecting her desire to prioritize the right to control immigration from mainland Europe, and to remove Britain from the orbit of the European Court of Justice, both of which make membership in the single market impossible. Her hope that Britain can strike trade deals with non-European countries means she is also likely to remove Britain from the customs union. Like Mrs. May, almost all of the Conservative Party has embraced a British exit from the European Union since the referendum.
Mr. Blair is loathed by many activists in the Labour Party because of his decisions on the Iraq war, and because of his financial dealings since leaving power. But Mr. Blair’s allies believe that he has more support among voters in general, and they point out that he won three elections, the last of which was in 2005 after the allied invasion of Iraq. Mrs. May has leaned toward a clean break, reflecting her desire to prioritize the right to control immigration from Continental Europe and to remove Britain from the orbit of the European Court of Justice, two points that make membership in the single market impossible. Her hope that Britain can strike trade deals with non-European countries suggests that she is also likely to remove Britain from the customs union.
The speech was welcomed by the Liberal Democrats, the centrist, and pro-European party that wants another referendum on the terms of any Brexit negotiation. Mr. Blair is disliked by many activists in the Labour Party because of his decisions during the Iraq war and over his financial dealings since leaving power. But his allies estimate that he has more support among the general population, and they point out that he won three elections, the last of which was in 2005, after the United States-led invasion of Iraq.
Yet some pro-Europeans believe it is too soon to succeed in making the type of argument Mr. Blair is advancing. So far Britain’s economy has not suffered the downturn the opponents had predicted would arise from the Brexit referendum. While there are signs that inflation is rising, because of the fall in the value of the pound, there are few indications that voters are suffering yet. His speech was welcomed by the Liberal Democrats, a centrist and pro-European party that has called for the specific terms of Brexit negotiations to be put to voters in another referendum.
But Britain has not even started negotiations, let alone left the bloc, and Mrs. May’s critics think that, once the reality of Brexit comes closer, the economy will suffer — particularly if the exit talks with the European Union go badly, as seems likely. And even some pro-Europeans say it was too soon for Mr. Blair to make this type of argument. So far, Britain’s economy has not suffered the downturn the “Remain” campaign had predicted. While there are signs that inflation is rising, because of the fall in the value of the pound, there are few indications that voters have begun to feel the effects.
Mr. Blair’s argument was, in effect, a call to prepare for that moment, if it arrives, though he conceded that his own intervention was likely to prompt “a volley of abuse.” Britain has not even started negotiations, let alone left the bloc, and Mrs. May’s critics say that as the reality of a British exit nears, the economy will suffer — particularly if negotiations with the European Union go badly, as appears likely.
Challenged on whether he was the best person to advance the pro-European argument, Mr. Blair said voters could “like the messenger or not like the messenger,” and that “I have the right to speak and you have the right to listen, or not.” Mr. Blair’s argument was, in effect, a call to prepare for that possibility, though he conceded that his own intervention was likely to prompt “a volley of abuse.”
Asked if he was the best person to advance the pro-European argument, he aid that voters could “like the messenger or not like the messenger.”
“I have the right to speak,” he said, “and you have the right to listen, or not.”