Tony Blair leaves the stage with host Gavin Esler after a speech in London, in which Blair backed calls for a second referendum. Stefan Rousseau/PA 
Tony Blair leaves the stage with host Gavin Esler after a speech in London, in which Blair backed calls for a second referendum. Stefan Rousseau/PA 

Brexit has proved that there should be second acts in political life



There's an old saying that there are no second acts in political life. This slight adaptation of a line written by the American author F Scott Fitzgerald means that a politician gets one big chance, and if he or she fails to deliver, then the public says goodbye and good riddance.

One example is the charismatic US presidential candidate Gary Hart, now the subject of a new Hollywood film starring Hugh Jackman. After years of service as the US senator for Colorado, Mr Hart emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in the 1988 presidential election. However, his career ended in a storm of headlines about his debts and personal life.

The late British politician Enoch Powell – whose reputation has been comprehensively dismantled, thanks to his infamous comments about race relations – observed that “all political careers end in failure”. For many years, he was right about that, at least.

But in these difficult times – as Theresa May sits in number 10 Downing Street, unable to make sense of Brexit, and Donald Trump sits in the White House, unable to make sense even of his own personnel matters – some politicians from the past are being re-evaluated.

From 1993 until 2001, Bill Clinton presided over a booming US economy, a country largely at peace, and an America that, for all its imperfections, was admired around the world. Mr Clinton, nevertheless, will be remembered for lying under oath about the nature of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

As 2018 draws to a close, however, Mr Trump commands a deeply divided America and will not be remembered for one lie, like Mr Clinton, but a blizzard of thousands, according the New York Times.

In Britain, Tony Blair presided over mostly good times from 1997 until just before the 2008 financial crash. He helped bring peace to Northern Ireland in the Good Friday Agreement, greatly aided by the work of his somewhat underrated Conservative predecessor John Major.

Among other things, Mr Blair’s legacy has been blighted by the failures of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. But now both he and Mr Major are staging a quiet renaissance, thanks to Brexit.

Compared to the clumsy, embarrassing antics of Mrs May’s government and other British MPs, who daily seem in competition to show their ignorance about economics, geography, trade and world affairs, Mr Blair and Mr Major are emerging from the shadows as figures of reason.

A few days ago, I chaired a speech and news conference with Tony Blair. He offered positive ways to solve the problem of Brexit, and pointed out that only two possibilities exist. One is what he called a “painful Brexit”, the other a “pointless Brexit”. The pointless Brexit, he said, involves various schemes, including a so-called “Norway option” and Theresa May’s negotiated deal, both of which mean, in effect, leaving the EU, but in some way still being tied to its rules and regulations. In other words, Brexit in name only.

The “painful Brexit” would involve crashing out of the EU with no deal, trading under World Trade Organisation rules and causing unimaginable damage to the British economy.

Neither option commands majority support in parliament nor across Britain. Mr Major, while nominally a Conservative opponent of Mr Blair, offers a similar analysis in different words.

Both men are trying to be helpful. They want to ensure that Mrs May’s government avoids deepening Britain’s political turmoil into a genuine constitutional crisis.

In the past few days, even the Times newspaper, owned by Rupert Murdoch, has come round to the idea that giving the British people a final say via a People's Vote or second referendum might be the only way forward.

Mr Blair and Mr Major’s ideas point in the same direction. After his speech, Mr Blair was asked by a journalist how Mrs May can avoid the disaster that lies ahead. Mr Blair suggested that when a politician is in a hole they should “stop digging”.

Neither Mr Blair nor Mr Major are seeking a formal re-entry into British politics. But each is performing a great service to a country in difficulty. If Mrs May listens to them, she could conclude the first dismal act of her political life in something that falls short of total disaster.

If Brexit does go ahead next March, Britain will have no second act within the EU, unless we find a practical and constructive new way to re-engage with our closest and most important neighbours. With every day that passes, that task becomes increasingly urgent. After all, there is not much time before the final curtain.

Gavin Esler is a journalist, television presenter and author

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
  3. Camden, London 
  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
  5. Islington, London 
  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
  8. Argyll and Bute, Scotland 
  9. Fife, Scotland 
  10. Tower Hamlets, London 

 

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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Suggested picnic spots

Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
 
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes 

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The Bio

Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

How to register as a donor

1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention

2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants

3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register. 

4) The campaign uses the hashtag  #donate_hope