“I will serve a full term.”

I think wibbler.com has been steering very clear of politics so far, and many will thank the heavens for that. However, I thought I’d just put a marker in tonight, after watching Tony Blair on The Paxman Interviews. Jeremy Paxman, who is a firm third on my list of televisual greats, is always good value at these things, and tonight’s questions were no exception. However the most telling section was the Paxman onslaught on Blair’s intentions after the election. There’s long been a debate as to when Blair will step down – he’s said himself that this will be his last election. Paxman charged into the fray. “Assuming you win the election, Prime Minister, can you guarantee in say 12 months time that we will still have you as Prime Minister?” Tony came back with his usual response. “Well, I’ve said I’ll service a full term, and you know …” Jeremy continued to ask the same question again and again and Tony finally stumbled. “You will get New Labour.” Tony replied.
Steam rose from my ears. Cogs turned inside my well-feathered head. Hold on! Full term? That could be 5 years, 3 years – even 1 year! And so, in an instant, I have worked out their plan. Tony wins the election in two weeks, calls a snap election again in say a year’s time, when he’s sure Labour will still win, and allows Gordon Brown to take over, thereby hoodwinking everyone, taking the opposition by surprise and leaving them all for dust. Tony’s done what he said – “a full term” – and Gordon Brown has taken over, leveraging in an extra couple of years of a Labour Government into the bargain.
Vote Blair, Get Brown (in a years time). I am a genius. Unless, of course, everyone’s already thought of this already. In which case I am merely average…
UPDATE: Full transcript here…