John Smith

Thanks to Rupa Huq for tagging me into this, three questions about John Smith, who died fifteen years ago to the week. I then have to tag others, like a chain letter ...

Where were you when you heard John Smith had died?

I was at at secondary school when he died. I'm pretty certain there was no public announcement ... so I would have probably been told by my mum when I got home. I would then have watched Newsround and the BBC One News at Six. I don't remember where, but I distinctly remember watching footage of a Tory MP (don't know who) being told about the death in the middle of a press conference, and him clearly being on the verge of tears.

How did you view John Smith when he was leader and how do you view him now?

I didn't have much of a view of him, being the age I was. I remember my Mum and I being very disappointed when Kinnock stood down in '92 (we sent him a telegram asking him not to resign). But John Smith seemed alright to me. I remember my Granddad describing a 'devastating' performance in the Commons of Smith's ... possibly about Arms to Iraq.

As for now: it's difficult. I don't really have much of an 'organic' view of him, but one shaped by the reminiscences of others. A 'waspish' and 'devastating' Commons performer. A member of the Old Right of the party. A serious, perhaps boring public persona. His shadow budget (as Shadow Chancellor) of 1992 is often blamed for losing Labour that year's general election. I tend to disagree.

Do you think he would have made a good Prime Minister?

Why not? He was serious, able and had real conviction. (By the way, I think he would have been elected in 1997).

What do you think is his lasting legacy?

The biggest of achievement of Blair's first term, Devolution, was inherited from Smith. It wouldn't have happened without him. And by 1994 I think Labour had changed sufficiently to be elected. Blair went further, and some of that - the worship of wealth, for example - is coming back to haunt us now.

Tagging:

Tim McLoughlin
Tom Miller
Alex Hilton/Labour Home