A bid for the history books
- 24 Mar 06, 12:26 PM
BRUSSELS: Who says this job's without perks? Today I get to enter the record books. I'm on board British Airways's longest ever non-stop flight - from Brussels to Melbourne. 12,000 miles in 19 hours to Oz, courtesy of Blair Air.
When I suggest to Number 10's spokesman that I will be filing my entry into the record books, he remarks - not altogether reasuringly - that "we haven't actually done it yet, Nick". Such nice people! I do hope my wife, who fears flying, isn't reading.
Lest you suspect this a mere jolly or jaunt to see the Commonwealth Games athletics finals and the closing ceremony (duty will, I fear, force me to be present), allow me to relate the "purpose" of this trip.
It is to be, we are told, "an illustrated guide to the world's inter-dependency". (Yes, I smiled wryly at that line, too - it's worthy of one of those upmarket travel brochures.) The reason for this claim is an itinerary that includes :
- A speech to the Australian Parliament about "Global Alliances" which will praise Australia for its involvement in a war in Iraq even though it would be easy for them to believe that the Middle East had nothing to do with them
- A visit to New Zealand - the first by a British PM since the 1950s - whose forces are helping to police Afghanistan
- A speech about climate change a little nearer than usual to that hole in the ozone layer
- A visit to the world's biggest Muslim country, Indonesia, which Tony Blair will hail as a model Muslim nation since it is a democracy and, he claims, promotes moderate Islam. A country which has, of course, grim experience of terrorism and natural disaster
The large party of travelling journalists may have their minds on other things too. Things tend to go wrong for leaders travelling abroad - particularly to hot places when their voters are shivering back home and particularly when there's "trouble at mill".
I recall the Blairs dressed in Nehru suits in Bangalore as commuters sat on platforms getting chillblains as more trains were cancelled. And, of course, the tragic death of David Kelly while we were flying from the US to Japan.
Look further back and you recall Margaret Thatcher in Paris on the day of the challenge to her leadership, John Major complaining that some of his backbenchers needed the "men in white coats flapping" when in Singapore and, of course, Jim Callaghan's "crisis, what crisis" (which he didn't actually say but everyone thinks he did) on the way back from Guadalope.
So, I may be writing and broadcasting about "an illustrated guide to the world's inter-dependency" over the next week or maybe not. My passport's at the ready, my BA complimentary long-haul pyjamas are waiting to be unwrapped and a glass of something nice is in hand to ease away the 19 hours on board. Oh yes, my laptop's ready. Stay tuned.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~07~RS~)
Comments
The vision of the Melbourne games is to promote a 'unique, friendly, world class Games and to...strengthen the commonwealth.
Maybe the commonwealth could be strengthened by PMs visiting members states more often.
But anyway, enjoy the trip Nick.
A vast array of journalists accompanying Blair on his latest jaunt. I hope there are enough left behind to probe into Labour Party finances and the NHS crisis.
Have a good trip Nick - we await your sage and perceptive comments..!
By the way - us humble Capita employees view recent events in a somewhat bemused state - we're keeping our heads down and hoping that the private actions of our (ex) Chairman have not jeopardised our diligent efforts to keep getting business..!
Dear Nick
I'm sure you are enjoying the comfy armchairs /beds on Blair Air,I know you have your job to do, but as a journalist, do you think the Great British Public care one iota what Mr Blair is /is not doing.
I certainly don't, and I don't think many others do.
I'm sure you and the other journalists will write vast numbers of column inches , but the facts of the matter is that Blair is dead in the water.
The only thing that will interest the public Blairwise is when he goes.
Until then its a case of yawn, yawn yawn. Hope the pyjamas are the right size by the way! Happy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's
Hi there Nick,
If you get a chance could you ask Tone to explain why if you are retired and live in the US, Europe and for instance The Phillipines, that your UK Pension is uprated annually but that if you live in Australia and most other Commonwealth countries it is "frozen".
Could it be prudence again?
Regards,
Colin
Hi Nick
Why don't you ask the PM about the Frozen British State Pensions issue? Frozen pensions in Australia, Frozen Pensions in New Zealand, Frozen Pensions in Indonesia. Frozen Pensions in almost all Commonwealth countries. With the National Insurance Contribution Fund growing at over £3 BILLION per year (according to the British Government Actuary Report January 2006) why do they say the £400 million needed to unfreeze pensions is unaffordable?
I very much agree with Bernard Horsham's comments. The whole Blair/Brown/New Labour Project has - for many - reached the point of terminal boredom and mistrust.
I'm not convinced that a change of leader at this point will recover their fortunes. And in the meantime it's the same old nonsense dragging on.
The cracks in the edifice are widening and many have become very tired of the whole charade. You can bet large money that some nonsense about the 'great achievements' of this jolly will be bandied about by Downing Street on Blair's return....
Dear Nick
it would be nice if Mr Blair gave some thought about the frozen Pension holders in Australia who gave ALL their working life to the U.K. and are now been robbed of the increases that they paid into.
But of course if we had been civil servants or MPs, retiring here we would be getting the increases. How can he justify that?
If ever this country commits its troops to a trouble spot in the world, you can rest assured that 60 seconds after the PM announces it, Austraila phones to offer assistance.
30 seconds later Canada does the same. As the phone is put down Poland rings.
Nick, this Country owes a debt of gratitude from one nation of moral equals to another and I'm sure that Tony is there to remind them of our thanks.
Gary
Nick,
Hope you enjoyed the flight!
Maybe you could ask the PM why he thinks so many skilled people such as the nurses and trades people the UK is trying to attract are leaving the UK to live in Australia?
Literally thousands are leaving the UK - and ironically the reasons many give is because of the uncontrolled immigration in the UK and the consequences for UK society.
Enjoy Australia!
Would you please ask the question if Mr Blair has been discussing with Australian ministers why Britain will not sign a new Social Security Agreement in place of the one the Howard Government cancelled in 2001 because Britain would not pay up-rated pensions to British pensioners who now live in Australia even though some of them have paid 45 years of contributions whilst working in the UK.
IS this another attempt to try and hide all the bad news that might get out if people were to find out about the new Legislative Reform Bill?
It does surprise me how complacient most reporters have been regarding this- I guess a trip on a plane is ample reward!!
"A visit to New Zealand - the first by a British PM since the 1950s" writes our friendly neighbourhood blogger. But John Major visited New Zealand in 1995, a trip reported at the time as being the first by a PM in office (rather that a former PM).