The Terrible, Deadly Cynicism of Nu Labour

That Nu Labour has been one of the most sickeningly amoral and calculating regimes in British history should come as a surprise to no-one. Even the quickest of glances over the behaviour of our government over the past 12 years presents a positive plethora of cynical politicking and absolute cowardice as our government has prioritised popularity over anything and everything else. Yet there is no better example of this shallow yet cynical calculations than the rush towards war with the invasion of Iraq.

Now, I understand the case for the Iraq War. I don't agree with it, but I understand it. I understand the notion of preemptively disarming a rogue state with nuclear ambitions, and I understand the rhetoric about spreading democracy across the globe. Now, Labour paid lip service to both of these ideas in its rhetoric as it made the case for taking on Iraq, but it is clear that the real reasons behind Britain joining the Coalition of the Willing had little to do with these lofty yet intrinsically flawed ambitions. No, the rush to war had rather more pragmatic reasons:

The political calculation was therefore straightforward. As far as Blair was concerned, if he had opposed the war he would have destroyed the New Labour coalition and given up vital ground to the Conservatives. Rupert Murdoch's newspapers were a key factor in this respect. Murdoch was a passionate supporter of Bush's foreign policy. Blair knew Murdoch would have switched his newspapers' support to the Conservatives if he had sided with the loathed Chirac and Shroeder in opposition to the war. In its 2005 election endorsement for Labour The Sun backed Blair for a single reason – his support for Bush in Iraq.

So there we have it. Britain committed to invading Iraq - and the deaths of British and Iraqi people - not because it wanted to spread freedom or protect the UK, but because the Prime Minister wanted to keep The Scum onside and wanted to get one over on IDS. The cynicism is breathtaking, and the implications clear. Britain's role in the Iraq War was purely in the interests of the ruling Nu Labour elite. I hope this is remembered when the votes are cast in the next election and when the history books are written. We went to war for reasons that make Suez look like a unassailable diplomatic triumph. Bemoaning the cheap cynicism of this rancid excuse for a government is nothing new; but it is worth repeating since their complete lack of morality must not be forgotten.