The Hindu Business Line : Memorable moment in British history

It is only when one recalls the utterly barbaric and chaotic manner of seizing of power in some countries that one fully appreciates the value of the lustrous traditions still cherished and respected in long-standing democracies such as Britain, France and the US.

The passing of the baton from Mr Tony Blair to Mr Gordon Brown on June 27 in Britain is, from this perspective, no ordinary event. The power of ruling a great country passed without a hitch from the Prime Minister to his Chancellor of the Exchequer in the impressively smooth fashion characteristic of the mother of democracies. It was not any change of guard following a general election. It was a voluntary transfer effected between colleagues in the same Cabinet, without rancour or recrimination, but with goodwill and good humour. Mr Blair quit with three years of his term still remaining when he found that, having served his people for more than 10 years, the longest continuous period a Prime Minister had been in office in the last 150 years, he had done the most he could for the country and it was time to bring in a new leader with fresh thinking who would have enough time to prepare the ground for the victory of the Labour Party in the next election as well. He got a standing ovation from MPs cutting across all political parties, after gracious tributes were paid by erstwhile rivals.

Momentous significance

Watching the happenings over the TV on that memorable day, one also took note of some other things, apparently routine for the British, but of momentous significance for the ‘soft’ states of the world. There was no pomp and ostentation, no cut-outs, no demonstrating mobs on the streets, no long motorcades. Other than the cars in which Mr Blair and Mr Brown travelled with their wives to and from the Buckingham Palace, there was only one other car following theirs, with a police pilot in motor-cycle riding ahead. Even while Mr Blair was getting ready to leave his official residence for the Buckingham Palace to hand in his resignation, his personal possessions were being taken out and loaded into vans by packers, so that his successor and his family could move in the moment they returned after Mr Brown ‘kissed’ the Queen’s hands.

The new Prime Minister, Mr Brown’s short speech to the curious crowd and the paparazzi assembled before 10 Downing Street, was somewhat strained and stagey, but that was understandable in a person who had gone through a wait of more than 10 years to realise his ambition. He harped on the word ‘change’ half-a-dozen times, finally entering his new home promising to ‘try his utmost’ as was enjoined on him by his school’s motto. But is there much in terms of policies and approaches that he can change? Having presided over the nation’s economy for 10 years, and made a resounding success of it, it will probably be more of the same in his new avatar. Some tinkering and embellishing may be possibl e in education, health and social welfare, but not of the nature of any revolutionary change. He cannot abruptly shut shop in Iraq and pull back troops. On the European Union too, having been closely involved in all the earlier policy making, there seems no scope for any U-turn. He may not show the same effusive warmth towards the US or its President, but he cannot also be too far out of step.

His idea of Government of All Talents is, of course, one big change in the political mindset he is seeking to bring in and this is no doubt capable of enriching governance, if it works harmoniously. A big if, that!

B. S. RAGHAVAN