Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Portrait artist selection process

blair_portrait.jpgSo, you're the most successful Labour leader in living memory. You've had a decade as the Top Dog in British politics. You fancy getting your portrait done. Should your portrait painter:

  • Be the son of a senior Tory MP?
  • Have a series of right wing icons (Prince Philip, George Bush and Rupert Murdoch) as the top three examples of their work on their website?
  • Be likely to drop you in it the first time they talk to the Daily Mail?
  • All of the above?

In Tony Blair's case, it's the last. Because Jonathan Yeo - son of Tim, painter of of Phil, George and Rupe - has gone and dropped him in it with the Daily Mail, speculating that Blair seemed cheerful on the day in question because El Gordo was struggling:

"I can't help but think that his hugely positive good humour and Tigger-like energy might have had something to do with his successor having trouble in the job," he said.

The portrait, released today, shows Mr Blair wearing a commemorative poppy - a reminder of his role in the Iraq war.

Mr Yeo, son of Tory MP Tim Yeo, said: "Of all the things that people remember him for, the war in Iraq is going to be one of the main things that people discuss.

"I was thinking that I had to find some kind of representation of that, but that it shouldn't be trite or too judgmental.

"It was November and when he came in he was wearing a poppy. I thought that was perfect."

As an exercise in effortless character-skewering - bringing in Brown's difficulties, Blair's disloyalty and even the Iraq war, which effectively ended Blair's spell over the electorate - that takes some beating. Even Yeo-esque. Let's hope he's not like his father in other ways, shall we?

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 21 Jan 2008 8:50 AM.  There are 1 comments so far. 
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1 Comments

BlairSupporter said:

Ye-e-es. And I have said something similar at my website, although you have been much more succinct.

I do, admittedly go on a bit about Tony Blair, though. To me it's very important that we remember - and record on a website - that he is the most successful Labour leader in history and that he brought his ungrateful party back from the dead.

But he is also the most politically astute politician for generations, imho.

So why did he not rip off the poppy with a "you're joking, aren't you" remark?

He must have known what people would say about the war leader conotations. And even that Yeo would be bound to twist his (normally) cheerful demeanour into a perceived attack on Brown.

But did he really mind?

If he does feel let down by the portrait by Yeo, he hasn't said, as far as I know.

Still, TRUST is definitely missing from life these days.

Me? I still trust Blair.

The phrase - 'By his enemies, shall we know him' - comes to mind.

21 Jan 2008 3:04 PM