Clinton stresses faith, hope and clarity to Labour

By staff writers

28 Sep 2006

-28/09/06

Even his detractors admitted that Tony Blair would be a hard act to follow, after the Prime Ministerís powerful speech to the Labour Party Conference in Manchester on Tuesday. But ex-US President Bill Clinton has always had a way with people and with words ñ as he demonstrated again yesterday (27 September 2006).

Clinton, a personal friend of the Blairs, used the opportunity to praise the British PM, to ëbig upí Gordon Brown ñ who plans to occupy Number 10 Downing Street himself ñ and to pour a little gentle scorn in the direction of George W. Bush, Mr Blairís new favoured transatlantic friend.

He urged the Labour Party not to get back to losing ways by trying to balk the globalisation tiger, and he also stressed values ñ with his emphases on social hope and faith echoing Mr Brownís call for a ësoulí to politics.

This was a point noted by Christian Socialist Movement (CSM) director Dr Andrew Bradstock, who told Ekklesia that it was encouraging to hear senior progressive politicians acknowledge social vision as a cornerstone of governance, drawing both on religious sources (all three men are Christians) as well as common values of justice and fairness shared by non-religious people.

Dr Bradstock said that Mr Blairís swansong had been ìinspiringî, but he acknowledged that there were difficult policy issues to be handled now.

CSM was critical of the Iraq war, and its members will no doubt be engaged in lively debates on health and education reforms, Trident, nuclear power, crime, civil liberties ñ and a range of other issues where critics accuse New Labour of effectively trying to ëtriangulateí Mr Cameronís newish Tories from the centre right rather than the centre left.

Labour delegates fought back today, dealing the leadership a heavy blow on market-oriented National Health Service reforms. Government ministers say these are necessary due to the cash crisis, and that they are best handled by a party with natural NHS sympathies.

Others say they are creeping privatization ñ ìnot just biting the bullet, but swallowing it and having it explode in your stomachî, as one Christian attendee, a health worker, colourfully put it to Ekklesia.

But Mr Clinton, who praised Mr Blairís progress on issues like unemployment and climate change, warned that progressive policies could be swept away if Labour lost office.

"I think your biggest problem right now is that people take your achievements and your ideas for the future for granted," he told the Labour Party's annual gathering.

"You have produced prosperity and social progress for so long, it is easy for people to believe it's just part of the landscape ... or [that] if you get a set of new faces in the driver's seat, surely they wouldn't change what's working?" said Mr Clinton, watched by Blair and Brown.

Bill Clinton is a Baptist. He was counselled by Christian minister Tony Campolo and others after the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal nearly tore him from office. Since retirement he has worked on AIDS awareness with Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and has focussed on global concerns and poverty.

[Also on Ekklesia: Blair heralds change as CSM recognises 'tough choices' [0] 26/09/06; Church agency praises government minister on climate issues [1] 28/09/06; Labour minister tackled over ënew underclassí [2] 27/09/06; Global water a 'hidden emergency' Labour delegates told [3] 26/09/06; British Prime Minister seeks divine solace in Manchester [4] 24/09/06; Thousands march against war at Labour conference in Manchester [5] 23 Sep 2006; Christian Socialists defend NestlÈ sponsorship [6]; [PDF] CSM and NestlÈ UK [7]; Tony Blair's use of the 'G' word [8] - by Jonathan Bartley; The 'which Blair?' project [9] Simon Barrow asks what the PM has faith in anymore; US church leaders lament George Bush's 'messianic complex' and praise Blair for listening [10]; Bush and Blair banned from the Church of the Nativity [11]; Christian Socialists want to hold Blair to justice agenda [12]; Blair faces growing criticism over God and Iraq comments [13]; Cameron and Blair offered 'Punch and Judy' workshop [14]; Blair challenged by Christian peacemakers [15]; Blair-Benedict meeting stokes rumours [16]; Campaigners want more from Blair on climate change [17]; Catholics urge Blair to make anti-poverty pledge [18]; Tutu tells Blair and Brown they've been 'mean' [19]; Christian Aid challenges Blair on EU poverty impact [20]; Donít mention the war, says Blair [21]; Text of Blair's speech to Faithworks [22]; Christian concern at Blair comments on deportation [23]; Church leaders tell Blair that nukes are evil and anti-God [24]; Prime Minister faces backlash over speech about moral war with Iraq [25]; Why history cannot forgive us [26] Simon Barrow asks whether the PM's belief in the absolution of history is a leap of faith in the wrong direction]

del.icio.us [27] Digg it [28] Tailrank [29] Reddit [30] Newsvine [31] Now Public [32] Technorati [33] StumbleUpon [34] Facebook [35]

[36]This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License [37]. Although the views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Ekklesia, the article may reflect Ekklesia's values. If you use Ekklesia's news briefings please consider making a donation to sponsor Ekklesia's work here [38].