I've come to realise that while I've been focused on my PhD work lately I've fallen out of practice with TL-writing, and while I have plenty of ideas for where to go with my ongoing projects I'm finding it hard to put pen to paper (figuratively speaking). So I had a couple of random ideas a merment ago and I thought I'd knock out a quick timeline based on events I don't need to research so much on account of having lived through them. Also I've wanted to try using the 'quotes-based TL' style used by e.g. 03771 in his excellent 'All Along the Watchtower' rather than my own usual more verbose style, so this can be a testbed for that.
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"...have considered the issues in depth and this is not something I contemplate lightly. I have no desire to desert my country when I believe she can still benefit from my service. But after receiving advice I have concluded that I have no option but to stand down as Prime Minister.
(Press commotion)
"I have...I have no desire to encumber this government or, more importantly frankly, my family, with my health issues. I am free to reveal to the press that I will be undergoing surgery on the first of October, during which time the Deputy Prime Minister will lead the government. I intend to remain as Prime Minister until the Labour Party has held and concluded a leadership election, after which time I will stand down so that the mantle of the most progressive government for a century, a government of which I will always have pride to be associated with, may pass to the Party's designated successor.
"I thank you all for your support for the seven years of my premiership and the ten that I have led the Party, and I trust that your faith shall continue to be rewarded by my successor. And that is all, thank you, and goodbye."
-- Prime Minister Tony Blair announces his intention to step down, September 24th, 2004
*
"SHOCK BLAIR ANNOUNCEMENT: DICKY TICKER MEANS HE'S TO GO"
-- The Sun headline, September 25th, 2004
"Support, faith and betrayal: A tragic end to the Blair years"
-- The Independent headline, September 25th, 2004
"An early Christmas present for the people: Warmonger to resign"
-- Morning Star headline, September 25th, 2004
"Blair: This is the end"
-- Daily Telegraph headline, September 25th, 2004
*
"It's hardly a conspiracy theory to speculate that there's more behind Blair's decision than his cardiac health. Whether through genuine recovery or his usual adept manipulation of the media, the soon-to-be-ex-PM quickly shook off any such speculation when he first showed signs of heart trouble a year ago. What has changed now? And if health concerns are the excuse, what is the real reason? There are rumours of domestic strife in Number Ten's resident family but they are just that--rumours. More convincing is the idea that the Labour left, whose incandescent fury over the Iraq war has continued unabated with the revelation that Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, always given by Blair as his primary justification of the invasion, were pure fantasy. With the capture of Saddam Hussein failing to alter this determined resistance and troop casualties mountng, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that, just as Margaret Thatcher found herself visited by the 'men in grey suits' in 1990, Blair has had a visit from the men with red flags..."
--Daily Telegraph editorial, September 26th, 2004
*
"In light of the resignation of Prime Minister Blair of England, as well as Prime Minister Aznar of Spain losing his re-election bid earlier this year, both of which some have ascribed to their unpopularity over supporting your policy with regards to Iraq, can you claim there is any real grassroots support for your policy in the War on Terror outside of the United States?"
"Well, actually, you forgot Australia. And Poland. But anyhow. Sure there are some folks who didn't appreciate the need to remove Saddam. But I don't think you can say those things are because of our strong approach to Iraq. Besides, Prime Minister Blair has resigned because of his heart problems, and I think it's playing politics to say it's anything else. I will say that while I must respect the Prime Minister's decision to put his family first, I think his country has lost one of its best public servants of this century."
--Jim Lehrer and President George W. Bush, first presidential debate of the 2004 election, University of Miami, September 30th 2004
*
"Some friends of mine, Arab friends, have suggested it[Blair's heart problem]'s a punishment from God. Well, I wouldn't know about that, but it's certainly an answer to my prayers, in a manner of speaking. I just hope the voters remember that while he may have been the war criminal-in-chief, nearly the whole cabinet went along with the whole scheme and there's as much blood on their hands. The Labour Party's done now, and it's up to people like me to try and rebuild some of what it once stood for."
--George Galloway, MP for Glasgow Kelvin, formerly Labour and now the only MP of the anti-war "Respect - the Unity Coalition", in an interview with The Guardian, September 30th, 2004
*
"I think he made the right choice and I hope whoever the Party elects in his place can carry on his progressive legacy."
"Are you going to speculate who that might be, Mr Kinnock? Perhaps endorse your favoured contender?"
"Really, it is rather early in the day for that, don't you think?"
"Hrmmmmm. Well, then let's talk about this so-called progressive legacy..."
--Neil Kinnock and Jeremy Paxman, Newsnight interview, September 30th, 2004