Blair: Iraq is sooooo last year

The focus of the PM's monthly press conference was the "stable and orderly" transition of power - or as Dead Ringers parodied Blair's present attitude last night "People of Britain - who hate me - am i bovvered?"
It was a classic Blair performance - confident, sligtly playful, slightly cheeky.
One thing he said that was not picked up on widely. Discussing whether Iraq would turn out to be his Poll Tax, Blair responded that he felt Iraq was the issue at the last election, and that we are all past that now.
Is this another sign that Blair and those around him are losing touch? Iraq continues to be a major source of anger for many people - it is clear that in Camden, many middle-class voters had the illegal war in mind when voting. Labour lost Camden and also took a beating from the Respect party in Tower Hamlets. Muslims and London middle-class voters are two groups for whom Iraq is not over.
Another classsic quote from the PM referred to his own MPs. He was sympathetic to their concerns that he might not actually keep his commitment to stand down - basically acknowledging that he cannot be trusted. He referred to two groups - the left wing who have always hated him and "the more reasonable end of the market"
It is telling that Blair still thinks he can appeal to the reasonable nature of backbench MPs - until the day they turn and bite him in the bum!
The PM should remember this - all political careers end in failure