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Simon Hughes MPRepresenting Southwark and Bermondsey since 1983 |
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Ward closures and widening gap between rich and poor will taint Blair legacy - Hughes
May 10, 2007 5:43 PM
North Southwark and Bermondsey MP Simon Hughes, responding to the announcement of the timetable for the Prime Minister's resignation, said:
"As the longest serving Labour Prime Minister ever, Tony Blair deserves recognition for having brought Labour three successive general election victories - although Labour's public support dropped massively between 1997 and 2005. It is for Labour members and supporters to decide whether the transformation of Labour into New Labour will turn out to be lasting or good for their party.
"Internationally, though Tony Blair did much good work on raising the profile of climate change and African issues, his overriding legacy will be the frightening consequences of the illegal and unjustified invasion of Iraq.
"At home the new Northern Ireland Assembly and the new prospects for peace for Ulster and Ireland is undoubtedly a great achievement of which he can be proud. The Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly, and the Human Rights Act are positive changes of lasting importance.
"South Londoners will have good and bad memories of the Blair era. The return of democratic London government was a necessary and good thing. But the closure of the Accident and Emergency Department at Guy's Hospital in the early days and the decision to close the Maudsley Hospital emergency mental health clinic in the last days were unpopular and unjustified. And most south Londoners looking for affordable housing are in an even worse position now than in 1997. Lastly, the overriding criticism of Tony Blair as Labour Prime Minister was that he has left the country and our city with a bigger gap between rich and poor than after Margaret Thatcher and John Major.
"Tony Blair and the New Labour government came to power on a wave of public hope and enthusiasm. Sadly many millions of people have been very disappointed."
ENDS