Now half term is over, let’s have a quick quiz. Reading these lines, can you spot the common theme? Westminster has been mesmerised this week by the messages of a famous Blairite, Peter Mandelson, especially his damning exchanges with fellow carrier of the Blair torch, Pat McFadden. Last week’s big news was an essay written by Tony Blair himself. That was followed by a report on youth unemployment written by Blair’s former secretary of health, Alan Milburn. The story of this summer is shaping up to be a battle for the Labour leadership between Andy Burnham, whom Blair called “an outstanding member of my government”, and Wes Streeting, who is an outstanding member of his fanclub.Catch it? That’s right: were little green men to visit Britain, they would think it under the control of some guy called Tony Blair. If not chief executive of these islands, he’s certainly the chair. If it’s not him in the spotlight, some other back number from the class of ’97 is hastily pressed into service. Just taken a massive tonking in the local elections? Better call Harriet Harman and Gordon Brown into No 10 for the photos. On it goes, through Jonathan Powell, Michael Barber, Liz Lloyd, Tim Allan. Need a walking contacts book to charm Donald Trump? Let’s call Peter … Oh dear.
学期中休已结束，咱们来个快速问答。读读这些标题，你能看出共同主题吗？本周，威斯敏斯特被著名布莱尔派彼得·曼德尔森的信息迷住了，尤其是他与另一位布莱尔火炬传递者帕特·麦克法登之间那些严厉交锋。上周的大新闻是托尼·布莱尔本人撰写的一篇论文。随后，布莱尔前卫生秘书艾伦·米尔本关于青年失业的报告也出炉了。这个夏天的故事正演变成一场工党领导权之争，对手是安迪·伯纳姆——布莱尔称他为“我政府中的杰出成员”——和韦斯·斯特里廷，后者是布莱尔的杰出粉丝团成员。抓住了吗？没错：如果有小绿人来访英国，他们会以为这个国家由一个叫托尼·布莱尔的人控制。他虽不是这些岛屿的首席执行官，但绝对是董事长。如果不是他在聚光灯下，那就匆忙把97届的其他老家伙拉来充数。刚在地方选举中遭遇惨败？那就赶紧把哈里特·曼和戈登·布朗叫到唐宁街10号拍张照吧。事情就这样继续着，乔纳森·鲍威尔、迈克尔·巴伯、莉兹·劳埃德、蒂姆·艾伦……需要一个活通讯录去讨好唐纳德·特朗普？那就叫彼得吧……唉。