9 Years of Blair

It is nine years ago today that Tony Blair and New Labour swept to power. How idealistic it all seems now. I remember running from the LWT building where I was working on election night programming to see the helicopter land at Festival Hall. It felt like the dawn of a new age.
Now here we are in 2006 - the sex sleaze of John Prescott's affair with a common civil servant has been all over the Sunday papers. Frankly I am not interested in people who get engaged to lorry drivers and then sleep with their pensioner boss. It all just so .... common.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, the local elections look set to be overshadowed by the continuing scandal engulfing the Home Office. The smart move might have been to accept Charles Clarke's resignation last week - now it looks as if little by little, new revelation after new revelation may force the lovable Shrek lookalike out of office.
The smart money is on when he will go - can he hold on until the reshuffle?
At least the rumblings over Patricia "best week EVER" Hewitt seem to have quietened somewhat. Perhaps someone at Health should make a note - next time send Caroline Flint.
The whole agenda of the local elections is being dominated by these scandals - Blair urges us to look at the bigger picture.
Which would be what? Sleazy peerages? The ongoing police investigation? The escalating civil unrest in Iraq AND Afghanistan? Record council tax bills?
It is just one of the tragedies of politics - nine years ago it felt like New Labour could do anything - now they appear to be able to do nothing right.