The Supreme One

If you're wondering what's causing that uneasy feeeling on the back of your neck today, it might the fact that you're subconsciously aware that John Prescott is currently running the country.

Middle class snobbery? No, I think it's more to do with the fact that he's a hypocritical, philandering, incompetent buffoon. He's an embarrassment.

Anyway, James Lansdale interviewed Blair just before he went off to holiday with fellow Christian soldier Cliff Richards and he's blogged about it here. I left a comment there yesterday but it's either been eaten by the BBC's in-house post-Hutton self censor monster or everyone who knows how to use the software is on holiday. Givcn that no comments have been published to that post, I suspect the second is more likely.

Obviously I'm keen to share my words of wisdom (well I am a blogger) so here's the rehashed nub of my non-published gist.

James wrote:

Well, keen to ensure there's no vacuum at the heart of government, Mr Blair has as expected handed over the reins to John Prescott who's now "coordinating government policy" - civil service speak for sort of being in charge. But will the deputy prime minister have be dealing with the Middle East?

"I've always been in charge of this," Mr Blair said this morning. "I do that by telephone wherever I am." So, now we know.

Blair says he's "always been in charge" of our policy on the Middle East.

The fact that British policy has been so morally bankrupt means that we knew that already but it got me thinking. What is it that Maragret Beckett actually does? She's officially the Foreign Secretary after all and I seem to remember a time when the Foreign Secretary of this country actually had something to do with foreign policy. Not any more apparently. Perhaps Ms Beckett's job would be more accurately described as assistant to the Foreign Secretary.

On an unrelated note (ahem), I've always been fascinated by the way that de facto dictators end up aquiring all sorts of titles as they seek to exercise ever increasing powers over the political landscape. All hail the right honourable Executive President, Prime Minister, Commander-in-Chief, Foreign Secretary and Guardian of the Privies, Anthony Charles Lyn...

Tags: News, Politics, Foreign Policy, Tony Blair