Blair's allies are the angriest

By Andrew Rawnsley
THE GUARDIAN , LONDON
Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004,Page 9

Just before he crashed into the reverse gear that he was not supposed to possess, British Prime Minister Tony Blair admitted to a close ally: "I'm going to have to eat shit for a few days."

Blair was being too optimistic. The dish that he has consumed over the past week has been much less savory than honest old shit and opponents will keep serving it to him for many months to come.

Blair has had to force down his throat a 10-course banquet of his own words. He has had to swallow the remains of what was once a great strategic ambition of his premiership.

The referendum that the prime minister had promised to the pro-Europeans -- most of all, the goal that he promised himself as a defining achievement of his leadership -- was to be a vote on the single currency that would secure Britain's future at the heart of Europe.

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