Mixing up right and left

IT is probably not high on Tony Blair's list of concerns at the moment but he is not a very popular guy with his colleagues in the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE). One high ranking member of the party said some rather unsavoury things about the PM before a press conference when he thought the microphones were turned off. He said that he thought Blair was a “complete idiot.” No, he hadn't just come back from holiday in Britain where he had been canvassing the thoughts of the British public he was talking about a meeting which took place this week between Blair and the conservative (Partido Popular) candidate for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. The reason for his outburst is that Tony Blair is allegedly a socialist and what his colleagues in Spain can't understand is what he is doing holding talks and giving the conservative candidate a platform in London with a general election in Spain just two months away. They believe that Blair should be allied with them because after all they do allegedly share the same beliefs. We mustn't forget that Blair's great friend in Europe is a conservative whose beliefs are more in tune with Michael Howard. But friendship can cross the political divide but now enter Mr. Rajoy who gets the royal treatment at Number 10. Banner news on Spanish television is that the “special relationship” between Britain and Spain will continue once and if Rajoy becomes PM replacing Aznar who is retiring. So you can see why the Spanish Socialists are annoyed. If I was them I would be fuming. Perhaps Blair could make better use of the true socialists in his party like John Prescott (yes, that man who is allegedly deputy PM and I think he is still in the government because I caught a glimpse of him in parliament the other week). He could meet all would-be socialist candidates while Mr. Blair could enjoy the company of all his friends like President Bush, Aznar/Rajoy and Silvio Berlusconi. Who cares about their politics Blair might think he is right but he's got few friends left.