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Monday, 24 July, 2000, 12:14 GMT 13:14 UK
How damaging are the leaks?
The UK Government has been exposed by another leak - a confidential memo in which the government is labelled "out of touch" by one of the prime minister's closest advisers.Disclaimer: The BBC will put up as many of your comments as possible but we cannot guarantee that all e-mails will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments that are published.
The document - a memo from Tony Blair's private pollster - also warns that Labour's majority could be slashed at the next election, and that the "New Labour" brand is badly contaminated.
Chancellor Gordon Brown insists it is of little real significance. But the Tories, who deny any involvement in the disclosures, say the memo shows signs of panic in the government.
Gavin Pearson, USA
So, Tony Blair attacks the media for reporting "trivial information".
Is this the same Tony Blair who commented on heavyweight political issues such as "The Free Deirdre Rachid" campaign??
One more leak like these just before the election, and it's bye bye Tony.
Crime has improved under Labour. In fact in Hackney crime has improved by 54% in the past year. The only problem is, the only improvement appears to be in the figures being quoted. Crime has risen and so has tax.
In direct answer to the question, fatal, I hope. (Politically speaking of course.)
William Dryden, UK
These "leaks" are just a clear form for SPIN. Now you all feel sorry for poor old Tony. Further, he (poor old Tony) creates the impression, he knows, he is out of touch and that he cares...Please! All he cares about, is re-election.
Labour's image is already tarnished. All these memos show is an interesting insight into Blair's thought processes. The only sensitivity they have towards the people of this country is in securing their vote and 'gaining their place in history'. The media, by effectively performing the role of the Opposition, have truly rattled Labour's cage. If this rids the Government of their complacency and encourages them to do the job they were elected to do, then some good may come from it.
Leaks, Scandel, Moles, Spin. All seem a little dubious to me. Sounds like Labour are cashing in on the idea people like to gossip. It seems Labour are trying to get a point across and can't think of any better way of doing it. The way it happens is, 1. Memo leaked. 2. Problem established. 3. Labour acknowledges problem. 4. Labour highlight plans to sort problem. It's all very high profile it's in all the papers; it's scandal and its boring!
At the next election people will decide who wins on the issues of the NHS, schools, crime and the economy all of which have improved under Labour that's why they'll win and why leaked memos are blown up by the right-wing it's all they have!
Oh dear, poor old Tony. I do feel for him. It must be quite a shock to wake up from dreamland to find your beautifully crafted image is slipping. He is suffering because of lack of conviction in what he wants to achieve and we the public have been suffering for much the same reason. Time to step down Tony and let Gordon Brown lead the way - at least he seems to care about more than just image and public opinion.
The reality is that we have a government that has done nothing for "the many" in this country - and in fact has substantially reduced the quality of life for the majority of ordinary families - after winning an election under false pretences. These leaks only serve to confirm what many people feel - that the "social experiment" hasn't worked and it's time to re-join the real world!
Dip Chaks, USA
It should be remembered that however bad New Labour seem to be at the moment the Conservatives would just be 10 times worse...
Personally I feel the government is doing a job, and that the recent leaks from the government offices have been blown out of all proportion by a very bored press and an unsteady opposition.
This just goes to show that the government themselves are starting to realise what the British people have known for some time, that they are out of touch, and don't deserve to win the next General Election.
This sounds like typical mid-term
blues for Tony Blair and New Labour.
Every government, between elections
sees a trough in its standing with the
electorate and this government is
no exception. Blair should be
concerned about finding the source
of the leaks and putting an end to
them; they are damaging to his
Any government based along party lines forms a club mentality that often become detached from its voters. Leaks play an important role in controlling the build up of a strong uncontrollable government.
I remember the last Conservative government and what they did to this country. Sorry Mr Hague but you're going to be second again!
Bill Clinton furnished Mr. Blair with the secret for getting elected, and it worked. Unlike the American public, Brits are not quite so gullible when it comes to politicians, and have already seen through the Blair spin machine. And too, the British news media is not in lock step with the government.
Here, the news media serves as the Clinton administration's Ministry of Propaganda, and the public has up to now believed it.
Paul Sceeny, UK
I think that the Government, because of these leaks, appears to be far too image conscious. It's the first government I can remember which has, as a number one concern, re-election as the core of its policies, as opposed to a government more focused on what is best for the country.
Caring? What this episode proves is that the only thing New Labour cares about is how to cling to power at any cost. Blair is finally revealed for what he truly is. A major-league chancer!
Much of the trouble in the Government stems from the fundamental split in the New Labour project. What we are seeing is a battle between those who want to favour the "Labour Heartlands" and those who want to continue with the New Labour coalition. This division was suppressed in an effort to end 18 years in opposition, now the battle lines are being redrawn. The Government is more and more resorting to gesture policies in an effort to appease the wings of the party.
The fact that the Labour Government in Britain has recognised that sensitive documents have been leaked is a positive sign. It just shows how the Blair Government has the courage to readily accept its failures. However, it is a sad reflection that the leaks have been rather too many in the recent past.
Having admitted its shortcomings, the Government will do well to ensure vital documents of national importance are not leaked again as otherwise the electorate will simply lose faith in the already "out of touch" Labour Government. And the Tories who are waiting in the wings will exploit the situation to their advantage and stage a comeback.
Potentially damaging leaks, like these, seem to have brought out public sympathy.
Are we once more the victims of spin?
I like this government a lot more than the last and I think they are doing a great job. Are some of your other contributors living in the same country? Don't they think for a moment about what it would be like under the Tories! You think it's bad now? Wait until you see what they would do. The concerted right wing press effort seems to be having the desired affect. If "spin" and vague references to the level of tax are all you can find to complain about then I think the country must be exceptionally well run.
Martin Harry, Wales
Journalists desperately trying to fashion significant news out of nothing much. Its what they get paid for.
This is just another example of the orchestrated press campaign now being waged against Tony Blair and his government. Most of the newspapers are running pro-Tory/anti-Labour stories as a matter of course on a daily basis, designed to bring about a change in public opinion and a change in Government. With these right leaning, foreign owned press allowing Tory moles to set the news agenda, I see the future for the Labour government and the future for this country is bleak.
This is what I make of a "leaked memo":
A process where a top political figure writes a dull internal memo,
stamps "Top Secret" on it and then accidentally faxes it to the media.
The media who for some reason still use the equation leaked memo = more sales
jump into action and try to make the dull internal memo the most interesting
political story of the century to spoon feed Jo Public with.
Jeremy DeWaal, United States
Its time Tony Blair stopped worrying about being a victim and how he is perceived and rolled his sleeves up and started sorting out the health service, crime and education. Nobody ever said being Prime Minister was easy.
It seems this government can't win
with some people. Any attempt to
explain policy or to
foster debate is denigrated as 'spin',
and any attempt to find out what
the public wants from government
is criticised as policy by focus-group.
I for one want to hear what they
have to say, and I am happy that
they employ professional
methods to get their message
across. The false sophistication
and cynicism of the (largely right
wing) press is sickening but most
people see it for what it is - shallow
I have to confess that I believe these leaks to be orchestrated by the Labour Party in an acknowledgement that it has understood that it's adrift with public thought, or is it that the public was adrift with the Labour Party manifesto. Were we not told, at the beginning, that there would be tough choices to be made both economically and socially? Now that we're in a position of strength with regard to the economy (backed up by the Editor of the FT in last nights Newsnight) the government can now start to invest in a sustainable way. I think we need to focus on the facts rather than the spin produced by both the media and all the political parties.
Riad Mannan, UK
How sad that this reforming Government should be damaged by leaks and tabloid stupidity. It seems too convenient that this leak occurred on the day of the news of Gordon Brown's £43 billion spending. Perhaps the "forces of conservatism" are closer to the Prime Minister than he thinks.
There's always talk of open government. These leaks are the only information the public gets without a spin-doctor in the way. Let's have more of them!
The leaks are causing terrible damage to the government. Not because there have been leaks but because they show that Labour have no concern for the people of this country. They want to throw us a few scraps to keeps us happy then once the opinion polls look better they can start on their directionless course again. I hated Thatcher but at least she stuck to what she believed in. Tony Blair's view on things changes hourly, and of course he never sticks to anything he says anyway. The sooner he has left number 10 the better.
The leaks should not occur since no organisation can proceed efficiently if it is constantly undermined by revelation of its internal workings. What bothers me more is that this will make it even more difficult to express frank honest views within government without fear of being set upon by a media who whilst moaning about "spin", are keen to pounce "Newsnight" style on any chink in the consistency of Government policy.
I think we are seeing the Government's spin machine working overtime. Comments such as "I don't see why the British public don't see me as a family man" aren't leaks but carefully crafted PR releases to show how "kind, compassionate and human" Tony Blair is. I'll never cease to be amazed as to what lengths this Government will go to gain popularity.
The government hasn't got a clue how to run the country. I'm surprised it's taken so long for the masses to realise it and that a leak admitting they're clueless is seen as so important.
Ruaridh Shuttleworth, Scotland
I am delighted to see Labour's attempts at social engineering beginning to flounder. When will the people of this country realise that good government is less government?
The "government" has yet to listen to any indication of what the public actually wants. I can't see much changing because a minister has noticed they aren't listening.
All 'businesses' whether private or public have occasional embarrassing leaks. All that has happened is that the technology has moved on from photocopies of paper memos to emails.
Leaks? There was me thinking that Open Government was starting to have some effect.
The UK Labour Party is so keen to change the British culture that it fails to recognise that most people want the Monarchy, they want lower taxes, and don't want a "Nanny State". The memos show how out of touch with the real UK the Government really is.
This government is clearly spinning out of control. Only yesterday, Gordon Brown stood in the Commons and announced to the world, albeit inadvertently, that the government was to spend £43bn to "underspin" the economy. Spin clearly pervades the thought processes of all government ministers.
The leaked memos only tell us what we already know.
Image is the only thing that the vacuous TB cares about. You needn't look any further for the source of New Labour's woes.
The simple fact of the matter is that Blair got too much, too early. He does not realise that a majority like the one Labour has now, does not come along too often. Instead of biting the bullet and DOING things, this Government is acting like it has the slimmest majority and seems only concerned with image. They are still employing the same principles of media management, which got them into power.
The leaks themselves are in all probability another ploy by a Government trying to buy time before the next election. They have realised that people are ceasing to be taken in by the web of lies and deceit they like to call spin. Blair's administration is totally focused on one thing and that is not running the UK to its best advantage, it is getting elected again. They are deceitful, out-of-touch opportunists with no philosophical or moral substance.
I suppose we must be grateful that the Government is, at least, seeming to recognise its shortcomings in this way. However, the biggest concern is that, once again, the perceived solution from TB and his team is to lavish more spin and image upon the problem.
Bill Elgie, England
The worst thing about this is not the way the Labour party try to diffuse revelations that they are obsessed with spin by spinning their way out of it, e.g. "What Tony is really saying...What Phil really meant...", but the fact that they are blaming the Tories!
After three years in power they still blame the Tories for every governmental problem they come up against, and now they're blaming the Tories for their own memos.
And they wonder where they've gone wrong?
These reports are highly embarrassing for Tony Blair because they are basically admitting that the whole New Labour "project" was always more about getting elected than making a positive change for the country. They have failed to act with conviction, relying solely on public opinion polls.
This is the start of the usual political propaganda which starts around this time prior to an election - it is hype fuelled by the opposition and the media - It's a bit reminiscent of the good ol' Tory sleaze.... Best thing to do is ignore it.
"We lack politicians genuinely in tune with the people." Labour selected MP's for political correctness (women only lists, black only lists) or because Central Office told them to, and not by merit or will of the masses. This is why Labour is out of touch, because it chose to be.
Owen Wheatley, England
It is all probably a PR stunt where the PM makes out that he is a victim so that people feel sorry for him. I will not wait patiently for actual changes where the people are demanding change - fox hunting, petrol prices, crime, NHS, immigrants etc.
Any government that is able to identify its own failures or shortcomings and is prepared to do something about it in a constructive fashion must be a good and as such a very rare government.
Those who have leaked such confidential correspondence have certainly scored an own goal by doing it.
Blair's disbelief at his level of unpopularity emphasises how out of touch he is with the electorate.
He refuses to believe that any opinion other than his own bears any weight.
Now he has been betrayed, perhaps his increasingly manic expression will become even more wild and disbelieving.
John Davidson, Wales
This Government appears to be floundering in its own errors. It is no better or worse than any government we have had in the last 30 years
In some ways if they're seen to panic it shows that they care, something not every government does or has done. Speaking for myself, it's made me think a bit better of them!
Since every government that I can remember has buried its head in the sand, these leaks paint a quite refreshing picture of one that recognises its failings. However, Blair's administration does need to concentrate far more on actively pursuing the policy objectives it was elected to undertake, and far less on polishing its image.
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