So the long goodbye is finally over. Tony has faced the final curtain. ‘Well – no – actually. Not final. Not me. You know me – I’m Tony. I’m going to do something more important than being Prime Minister – I’m going to be part of the quartet – well I guess that’s a quintet then!’ (Please read aloud using a Rory Bremner version of Tony Blair voice.)

‘That is that. The End.’

It was a good ending. You have to hand to TB. He is so much more appealing than GB! I thought his last Prime Minister’s Questions was quintessential Blair – witty, sharp, super-quick and well delivered. Sotto voce ending. And I was moved by the occasion – but then I cry at Coronation Street. It is, however, quite something to witness first hand the end of an extraordinary premiership – more extraordinary ‘cos most of us think he made an unforgivable error in Iraq, he trashed any trust the public might have had in politicians, he set a terrible example of standards in public life – but he delivered peace in Northern Ireland, was brave in regard to Sierra Leone and Kosovo – but could have been, so, so much more.

As for his new role as Peace Envoy for the Quartet in the Middle East – well – he isn’t the obvious choice in terms of all sides putting their faith in him – but on the other hand – he has clearly phenomenal skills in this arena. And it will take phenomenal skill to deliver peace. It’s funny really – I wrote to Tony not long after I was elected and berated him over Iraq, then suggested to him that if he wanted to make any sort of amends he should use his time more fruitfully in office – and better devote the rest of his time to sorting out the Middle East. Clearly persuaded by my missive – albeit after leaving office – that is what he is going to do!

It fits really. He must bear a weight of either such guilt over those who died because of his decisions (although he believes he was right) but whether guilt or not in his mind – his only redemption (and I use the word because of its meaning to TB not me) would be to succeed in delivering a viable state for Palestine and permanent security for Israel. So – whilst as I say – he isn’t an obvious unbiased player in this arena – sometimes it can take someone involved and passionate – whether for or against – to bring people together.

I wish him every success.

So Camelot dies with Blair. And now the dark and icy hand of Mordor is spreading through the land as the new Wizard’s deathly grip circles our lives. Not encouraged by GB’s first speech outside of No 10. Starched, formal, uncomfortable and termed with phrases to send chills throughout the public services. Change this. Change that. Yes – the country wants a change – a change from being lied to, cheated, manipulated and strategised. But Gordon isn’t change. He was there all the time – and if you didn’t argue for change then – we won’t believe you now. You did, after all, sign the cheques; support the war; flip-flop on tuition fees and privatise our tube spending millions on consultants rather than services.

More mundane, I know, but went straight from Parliament to Haringey Police Consultative Group meeting. That calmed me down!

Gordon is happy! And I don’t want to rain on his parade – at least for a day or two. However, from the look on his face, I kind of felt that the drama of Harriet’s startling victory (a drama helped both by its closeness – and also by Sky merrily reporting the wrong result in advance) was regarded as raining on his parade.

The image of a man / woman team is a good one for Labour. The only down side is that Gordon and Harriet are both a bit hard-going and substance based. Now – I think substance is good – but it is quite helpful if one of them had substance masked with charm. Clearly Gordon has recognised this and been working hard at his Charms lessons (not the same Charms as in Harry Potter)! So – off we go to new challenges, challenged challengingly by the challenge of challenging changes and challenging times!