On the 12th of May 1994, Labour Leader, John Smith, died in St Bartholomew’s hospital in London after two serious heart attacks.
I don’t know very much about this man, since I had already left England by this time. But, I understand that he had a reputation for being a man of integrity, and was respected for his honesty and decency by those from all political persuasions. He was, so the sources say, expected to lead Labour to victory at the next general election and become prime minister.
John Smith was, as is well known, succeeded by Tony Blair who, whatever his reputation in 1994, left office with a soiled reputation and little respect from the electorate.
History is full of ‘ifs’, but one wonders whether Smith would have gone to war on a lie, or have tolerated the great expenses scandal. There would certainly have been devolution, since Smith was an ardent supporter of devolution, and five years to the day after his death, the new Scottish parliament had its first sitting. But perhaps, devolution might have been handled more equitably. Who knows?
I have, in the last few days, read that Brown always felt resentful that he had been robbed of the Labour leadership by Tony Blair. How odd that exactly 16 years after John Smith died, Brown finally accepted that his dream had ended and has returned to what he was in 1994 – just another MP.
Source: BBC On This Day.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Boadicea, there was an article by Roy Hattersley yesterday which mentioned the fact that Brown was John Smith’s deputy and therefore expected to become leader of the Labour Party when Smith died. The fact that Blair stole a march on him left Brown feeling very bitter and this was the twisted character we ended up with as chancellor and PM. Smith always had the reputation of being a decent politician with charm, but not smarm. I suspect he would not have lied to Parliament and the British people as Blair did.
Sheona I’ve found it – thanks.
I had a friend who was a Socialist of the old school, she had a lot of good to say for Smith, and no good to say of Blair.
Aye weel, nil nisi bonum does not constrain me completely in the case of Comrade Smith.
Yes a decent man and yes charming. A superb debater. But a product of the Weegie Labour Mafia and just as capable of turning a blind eye to corruption and malpractices as all the rest of them. A bit Left Wing for my taste – did not abolish Clause IV in the Labour Constitution, for example.
He would probably have won in 97 but not with as big a majority. And I believe that he would have been just as capable as Blair of lying to the House of Commons if he thought he was ‘right’ to do it. Typical moral compass of the sanctimonious, self-justifying, smug certainty of most Labour politicians, in my opinion.
Buried on Iona – nice spot.
John One of the articles I read about him seemed to hint that his ‘sanctification’ was somewhat coloured by his early death… So thanks for your extremely unbiased opinion – it seems a bit more realistic than the authorised version!
Seen more than one or two of those on the BBC this last week…
For you youngsters, Clause IV was all about nationalising everything that didn’t move and some things that did.
“….sanctimonious, self-justifying, smug certainty” ceratinly describes the way Mandelson, Campbell (the unelected and the unelectable) and Brown behaved throughout. Campbell’s spat with Boulton of Sky News was typical of them.
Here it is:
“To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each industry or service.”
Thanks Janus – it wasn’t only the youngsters who needed that quote 🙂
I watched some Labour MP being interviewed and all he could say was “The British Electorate have shown that they don’t want a Conservative Government’. He repeated it like a mantra over and over again… with a dead straight face.
I’m ashamed to say I always thought John Smith was one of your lot, JM, from Edinburgh. Just shows how much interest I took in the man.
Boadicea, I don’t know what you thought about Hattersley’s article. He certainly described a Gordon Brown I didn’t know existed.
Sheona: I’ve read exactly the same elsewhere, I cannot remember where – probably the Telegraph. My thoughts when I read it was “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”, and how thwarted ambition can ruin a man / woman – and, in this case, a country.
Boa, how right you are.
Had one known the future, one would have called in the taxidermists for John Smith.
Bo, I believe you have it wrong that Brown is now an ordinary MP, I was given to understand that he has resigned his seat too. I’m sure JM will know.
No, I’m wrong, he is staying on as an MP, well he wasn’t as of yesterday! I suppose £60,000 is better than a slap in the face with a wet kipper until some other bunch of shysters offers him more!
I think that you will find that he has found a job Christina.
I doubt if he will stay on for very long. Just long enough to ensure that there is no honeymoon effect which might make his seat liable to being lost to the Lib-Dems at a by-election. Unlikely in the extreme but he did have a huge personal vote and stranger things have happened.
The Browns are apparently house hunting in Embra’s ‘prestigious’ New Town just up the road from me. It seems that his present house can not be guaranteed the necessary levels of security now that he is an ex-PM.
It’s a worry! Still, if I bump into him in the street, I’ll be sure to give him all your best wishes.
Oh yes, JM, do please give him a Glasgow Kiss from me!
sheona, I think the expression is a Glasgow smile!
Toc, love the pic!