This sums up Tony Blair quite well....

[Phony Moderate]

‘Above all, the European Economic Community takes away Britain’s freedom to follow the sort of economic policies we need.’

~Tony Blair, 1982

‘On the day we remember the legend that St. George slayed a dragon to protect England, some would argue that there is another dragon to be slayed: Europe.’

~Tony Blair, 1997

‘I am a passionate pro-European. I always have been.’

~Tony Blair, 2005

[You kip if you want to...]

‘Above all, the European Economic Community takes away Britain’s freedom to follow the sort of economic policies we need.’

~Tony Blair, 1982

‘On the day we remember the legend that St. George slayed a dragon to protect England, some would argue that there is another dragon to be slayed: Europe.’

~Tony Blair, 1997

‘I am a passionate pro-European. I always have been.’

~Tony Blair, 2005

A politician flip-flopping? NO! I'm shocked...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Those particular selections are a little unfair; it's clear that what he said in the early 80s was through firmly gritted teeth (he was on the Left (amazing as that may seem now) and opposition to the EEC was conditional to continued 'membership'), and that what he wrote in the Sun in 1997 was Murdoch-and-swing-voter pleasing bollocks (and was recognised as such at the time; Andrew Marr, then the editor of the Indie, wrote a stinging editorial on the subject. But had no qualms about writing an endorsement as well). He probably has always been pro-European, as the term is defined here.

Yet... on quite a few other issues... hmm...

[tpfkaw]

It certainly is the rare politician who flip-flops in such a way that he makes sure to take the more unpopular position on an issue at any given time.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It certainly is the rare politician who flip-flops in such a way that he makes sure to take the more unpopular position on an issue at any given time.

Hmm... the Left's case against the EEC - which has to be distinguished from the type that's now more common - was never exactly popular.

[tpfkaw]

It certainly is the rare politician who flip-flops in such a way that he makes sure to take the more unpopular position on an issue at any given time.

Hmm... the Left's case against the EEC - which has to be distinguished from the type that's now more common - was never exactly popular.

That was my point.  Blair bizarrely managed to take the more unpopular position in the 80s, and the more unpopular position in the 2000s.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It certainly is the rare politician who flip-flops in such a way that he makes sure to take the more unpopular position on an issue at any given time.

Hmm... the Left's case against the EEC - which has to be distinguished from the type that's now more common - was never exactly popular.

That was my point.  Blair bizarrely managed to take the more unpopular position in the 80s, and the more unpopular position in the 2000s.

Ah, right. Read too quickly sometimes.

[Silent Hunter]

Why can't people change their views?

[Phony Moderate]

Why can't people change their views?

The "I always have been." part is the main reason why I posted this thread.

[Hash]

Thankfully nobody has time to do this for Brazilian and French politicians, or else we'd have a 50-page post just detailing all their "changes" in their "ideologies".

[Silent Hunter]

Why can't people change their views?

The "I always have been." part is the main reason why I posted this thread.

Yes, but there is a difference between the EEC/EC/EU and "Europe".

[Oakvale]

Blair's a politician? Stunning.

[You kip if you want to...]

Blair's a politician? Stunning.

A very apt one at that.