Don't go reading modern political memoirs in a heatwave. Your jaw falls open all the time, and mosquitoes fly in. Stick to Jilly Cooper for raunch and emotional dysfunction, and Healey, Jenkins and the big boys for insight into government. The witterings of minor figures - Edwina Currie, Alan Clark - are reasonably entertaining, and Clark indeed threw odd beams of light into the broom cupboards of power. But the current outbreak of Memoir Wars is different: quick on the draw, savagely disloyal, dangerously close to the centre.
They gaily splatter mud, blood and vomit over the incumbent leader as he struggles with economic and global tension. Raking in the millions, smirking from the sidelines, they shoot off their slack mouths: a Deputy Prime Minister, a confidant fundraiser and, topping them all, a Caesar's wife.
Snipe, snarl, snigger: Lord Levy says Tony doesn't think Gordon can win, and insinuates that the Blairs were in it for money and fame (“Look at what they've done since he's stopped being Prime Minister and answer the question yourself”). Cherie says Levy “knows nothing” and that weird Gordon could win, provided genius Tony advises him. She also lets it be leaked that she toned down her criticisms of Mr Brown so that, whenever she does stick the knife in, we know to add 30 per cent. Meanwhile, John Prescott brags that he called Tony “a little shit” and urged him to sack Gordon, while being the “honest broker” between them. Which puts a whole fresh nuance on the word “honest”, as the stout broker spills the beans (when not gobbling them with condensed milk).
Because, of course, such memoirs are nothing without intimate agonies: neatly spatchcocked and self-served with lashings of smugness. Lord Levy “warned” Tony about being massaged by foxy Carole; Cherie says it was her idea. John Prescott has, thank God, no insight to offer. But reveal, preen, rake in the money! Think Heat and Hello!, not duty and service. Mrs Blair now gaily reveals Leo did have the MMR vaccine; at the time this fact was kept secret on principle, despite the falling take-up of MMR. But principle and privacy are marketable. Public reassurance isn't.
Stories are buffed up and given royal icing: Mrs Blair claims Leo was conceived because it was embarrassing to pack contraceptive “equipment” for Balmoral, where servants unpack your sponge bag. Well, I can confide to any confused males that there is no known “equipment” too large to go in a handbag. Which servants don't touch. But hell, it's a good story. And the memoirs must be served quick and hot, before poor Mr Brown implodes and everyone's baying for pictures of little Milibands.
You may think me unkind and prim. But the tendency to use autobiography unreflectively and with spite is depressing, if you take either literature or politics seriously. Do they know, these people, how the polite publishers and serialisation buyers crow and giggle as they lay out blurbs and headlines? Do they know with what superhuman effort such grown-ups refrain from pointing out how bad the writers make themselves look? One tiny example: Mrs Blair relates a conversation with Princess Margaret. She introduces the minister Chris Smith and his partner. The Princess, confused, says: “Partner for what?” And instead of saying “his life partner” Cherie says: “For sex, Ma'am!” Crass, homophobic. If I introduced her as Mr Blair's sexual resource, how would she like it?
And does she grasp how badly her husband comes across in her memoir? Pushed about by Campbell and Millar, forever panicking, willing to publicise his still-bleeding wife's miscarriage to stop the press speculating about Iraq. And when she says that his financial attitude is “I just want to do what's right and somehow or other we'll sort it out” it has a horrible echo in his unreflective, underplanned plunge into Iraq.
Her book is shot through with financial anxiety, understandably given her obsession with not becoming poor again (fat chance). She speaks bitterly about her breadwinning role as wife of a man earning a mere £187,000 plus use of two free houses; she defends her graspingness without total success. I still don't know why, when the comparative stranger Peter Foster e-mailed that “his company” would pick up the £4,000 accountancy costs over the Bristol flats, she failed to e-mail back: “Oh no you won't!” A QC? A judge? Even journalists know that there are no free lunches.
I have defended Mrs Blair, though not recently. I endorse her stand on penal policy. But she has let us down so often that the head sinks into the hands (which at least solves the problem of the ever-dropping jaw). One nasty little aside finally finished her off for me, when she meanly said that Sarah Brown has “four people working for her while I only had two”. A puzzled Downing Street denies this: Mrs Brown actually has less back-up than Cherie. But it reminds us that the present incumbents are not super-rich, any more than the Blairs were; and that gentle Sarah Brown, a seasoned professional woman and mother of two young sons (one with cystic fibrosis) uses her time in Downing Street quite differently.
She tends her family, runs her charity and supports Third World midwives. I doubt she's having much fun right now, with an exhausted and much-insulted husband; I doubt that a posse of dress designers, Eurotrash villa-owners and slinky masseuses on the make are there to fawn on her. But on the other hand Mrs Brown has not exposed herself as a vain, self-regarding, shallow-thinking viper. And probably never will. That thought might cheer her up.
I trust that when Tony buys his titel she will become the Duchess of Greed.
Pete Whitley, Appleton, USA
Pardon me for pointing this out, but, isn't she Catholic. Thought you were not supposed to use 'THINGS' to stop babies.
I wont listen to Womans Hour if SHE is going to be on it.
Cherie Blair should be stripped of her QC, Sorry but she is a disgrace to the Judicial Service.
Valerie, London, ENGLAND
Excellent article. If there were a poll to decide on the most vulgar couple in British public life, the Blairs would win hands down. But then, given their incorrigible tendency for self promotion, they would probably nominate themselves.
Evan, Luton, England
Cherie Antoinette ?
Mark, Gothenberg, Sweden
I may now surmise that TB's conversion to catholicism reflected a cerebral need for confession...
Viktorovich, Moscow, RF
The depressing thing is that although we may not have not known these sordid details in 2005 we knew enough about the Blairs that none of this should be a revelation.. .And yet as a country we re-elected them for a 3rd time. What does that say about us and our priorities?? An uncomfortable thought?
k. Thompson, Reading, UK
The last two paragraphs are priceless.
Allan, Bristol, UK
Alan Bailey, Bewdley, England
The self-interested NuLabour MPs were selected because Tony and changed the rules so that they could parachute their cronies into safe seats, overruling the wishes of the local party activists.
Nepotism rules under NuLabour
Glenn, wales,
I assume that when the Blairs went to Balmoral Cherie was all dressed up ,to meet the Queen,in a nice frock and wearing her Dutch Cap
Ed Corbett, bridgend, wales
Great writing Libby. The grasping egotistical actions of this woman are unbelievable. How did her trashy tribe of fellow-autobiographers con us for so long. A plague on them all.
Martin Clarke, Wotton under Edge, England
She feels it is correct to refer to Dr Kelly's death & to intrude into his family's grief - how would she feel if someone started to analyse the events surrounding her daughter in 2004 ? She can't claim privacy for her family while exposing intimate details of her life in such a tasteless manner.
ACL, Midhurst, UK
I have found the extracts to be humorous and engaging. They provide an insight into what it is like to be a human being as well as a resident inside Downing Street.
Tom , oxford,
This book is too tacky to use as a doorstop.
ehn, london,
How can this woman remain as a judge, a Recorder? She should be removed as soon as possible, not only does she patently lack any sort of judgement but she demeans the post and the whole judiciary.
charles, London, England
Lets hope that Brown writes a book to put the record straight and all these people who are trying to oust him will get their just deserts. Poor Cherie probably needs the money from the sale of her books to pay for all the properties she is buying. I for one will not be buying her book.
margy, liverpool, merseyside
why oh why oh why are we giving that woman the oxygen of publicity. every time I open the paper, there she is...
Jonathan, London,
A good article by Libby Purves.
I am afraid that the Blair's are just like their pals, the Clintons.
They hog the limelight and love money and power.
It is all so depressing that we are governed by people like this.
Where were the soul baring autobiographies from Wilson and Callaghan's wives?
Malcolm Green, Peterborough, UK
Whatever happened to common sense, Mrs Blair?? I find it incredible, although not entirely surprising, that Cherie Blair cannot put her "unmentionables" in a handbag - as Libby Purves so rightly pointed out. Also, whatever happened to tact and discretion, Mrs Blair??
K Johnston, London, England
Erm! Libby.
Have you still got a copy of your piece written the day afterTthe Blairs were first elected?
As I recall there was quite a lot about "A different feel to the world, skipping down the street" that sort of thing.
We, who have the liar detection gene, can now say "We told you!"
Phil, Stafford, England
What an absolutely fantastic article. I only hope Libby Purves writes one of a similar nature about Prescott, or "Prezza" as his the title of his memoirs would have us call him.
Paul, London,
Well said. Dreadful, dreadful woman.
Sam, London,
I agree wholeheartedly with the astute observations that Libby Purves makes in her article. It's bad enough that Cherie Blair has thought these things; I am genuinely shocked that her judgement is so poor that she has felt no scruples about publishing such damaging tat.
Chris Hopton, Ipswich,
Brilliant article by Libby Purves!
My sympathy goes more to Gordon and Sarah Brown now, seeing the evil vendetta Cherie Blair has had against them for so long. She never misses an opportunity to denigrate the Browns.
Do not buy this book!
christine heath, chania, crete GR
Living proof of that old adage "You cannot make a silk purse from a sow's ear"
Jack, Newtwon, UK
Oh God......Sex at Balmoral...Humping the night away....Down for breakfast with HM and Co.....Then tell the whole world....How bad is that.
Alan Beresford, France,
the 11th commandment 'thou shall not buy Cherie Blair's books or else be condemned to eternal hell'
Toni , Oxford, England
and did you know that Woman's Hour is going to serialise this horrible woman's horrible book? How can we allow such things to happen? Ah well, corruption continues but hopefully, as they sowed, so shall they reap.
Rhea Williams, Ipswich,
There has got to be a deserted island that we can put this horrible woman on along with the detestable Mills-McCartney thing & their whoop of Hello magazine flunkies hasn't there?
Let them get on with it alone. I'd vote for that!
Jeremy, Farnham,
Brilliant article, I'm so sick of these shameless people. They disgrace politics, themselves and eachother. Then they wonder why fewer and fewer people vote. There should be a box on ballot forms saying "I would love to vote but there is no-one worth voting for"
Alex Mackay, Wheatley ,
'a vain, self-regarding, shallow-thinking viper' - may that be cherie blair's epitaph.
dominic, london,
Well put, Libby Purves! "What oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed. "
I won't be buying the book.
Phoebe Newton, Northallerton, North Yorkshire
I feel sorry for the children.
Even my children feel sorry for the children.
What was she thinking when she started writing this?
Susan, London,
The woman is even tackier than I thought she was. Ack!
Laura, London,
Giles, Singapore: What if you are one of the gullible, old bean? You either have democracy or you do not. Simple concept, I would have thought. Just to stay on topic, Cherie Blair - awful, awful woman. She cannot fade into the background fast enough.
Dan, London, England
The Blairs have managed not to choose between God and Mammon, but to choose both God and Mammon.
Cherie always had spiritual security, but given her deprived upbringing she obviously needs material security as well.
Cadzow, London, UK
Both as bad as each other. Politics just a stepping stone for Bliar, a man with no principles whatsoever, and whose departure from New Labour has shown that it always was devoid of all principle bar gaining power and lining your own nest. I say that as a Labour voter from 1970 to Iraq. Never again.
Jeremy Poynton, Frome, United Kingdom
Antonio - The answer to "Where did our western democratic system go wrong?" is simple - universal suffrage. Give the gullible and the uneducated the vote and these people running countries is the result - the lowest common denominator who appeal to the malleable masses
Giles, Singapore, Singapore
What a despicable woman that deserves nothing more than criticism for her behaviour, not only to our royal family but to the family of Doctor Kelly for mentioning him in her book as a means to generate more sales of her ghastly book!
william thomson, lincoln, Lincolnshire
I'm not sure that intelligence necessarily has much to do with judgement which Cherie Blair, although I'm sure she has some good qualities, often seems to be lacking. The dignified thing to do would be to give the money from this memoir to charity, but I doubt that will happen.
Elizabeth , Portland, USA
Gill, London;
"Cherie has more intelligence in her little finger than most posters here have in their entire bodies.....A 1st in Law from LSE and then top of her year in the bar exams + work for many charities...."
Yes- but she doesn't know what makes people tick though, quite obviously.
Jez W, Leeds,
Great article. Spot on.
Pat, Chester,
From what Libby writes, it appears that Cherie is condemned by her own words. Odd that a highly educated QC can't see how her writing, and the behaviour that she describes, will make us ordinary folk feel about her. She sounds worse than Marie Antoinette.
Mark, Gothenberg, Sweden
If ever there were an argument against freedom of speech, this apparently torrid offering would appear to be it.
David Williams, Eastnor, England
Cherie purports to have been a life long Labour supporter yet she seems to be trying her hardest to ensure that Labour is not elected next time. Cherie's career was fast tracked as a result of her husband's position - to ensure that the joint income didn't fall, not forgetting the post PM earnings!
Andy, London,
Cherie has more intelligence in her little finger than most posters here have in their entire bodies. A 1st in Law from LSE and then top of her year in the bar exams + work for many charities. There's sexism at work here - if a women speaks her mind she is 'motormouth' - if a man does he is lauded.
Gill, London,
Good article. I am normally a regular buyer of The Times but I am boycotting the print version containing these extracts.
WAB, London, GB
Well written, yet your newspaper has still serialised parts of Prescott's book and more Cherie Blair. Her clamouring for popular for fame and fortune make her truly repulsive and as you say, no loyalty whatsoever. More important to appeal to the readers of Hello! Ok! etc. Total lack of self respect.
Katherine, UK,
Cherie Blair is nothing compared to Denis Thatcher.
A man who was on the board of a company exploiting the poor and disenfranchised in South Africa, whilst his wife in power refused to boycott SA, unlike every other decnt country in the world. But not a peep from any of the usual suspects.
Shaming.
Mark Grand, London,
"quick on the draw, savagely disloyal, dangerously close to the centre"
Isn't that the NuLabour manifesto? Or was it the recruiting poster? Same thing really.
The truth is career politicians (et al.) never retire, they just turn into gadflies and hang around until swatted!
KR, Stockport,
Cherie Blair's book I would not spend good money on, but a book by Libby reviewing Mrs Blair's book, that's a different matter...
Ross, Herts,
Fair play to Cherie Blair. There is nothing wrong with being opportunistic and self serving, its all about power in this world and Mrs Blair has shown this is one way to go about getting power.
Adam, Birmingham,
I am disappointed that the Times serialised Chav Cherie's drivel, with hold payment! It questions her ability as a barrister
Cherie boasted of seven other high profile commerical cases, a lawyer replied; "hardly an outstanding achievement for a barrister of 30 years’ standing and a QC of 11 years
Lindiwe, sevenoaks,
Thank you Libby, I couldn't agree more! The way she described Chris Smith's partner is so crass it's almost unbelievable - except that it sounds exactly what she would say. A stranger to self-doubt if ever there was one.
Barbara, edinburgh,
An excellent article, I was relieved to find that I wasn't the only one who thinks that certain details should be kept private. I have much more respect for people who get on with the job and keep quiet.
Jenny, Reading,
200 years, 100 years, or even 50 years ago optimistic liberals expected things to turn out very differently. With universal education, they foresaw the creation of a broadly informed, logical, cultured populace that would elect a true meritocracy to rule. Sadly, this dream never materialised.
Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,
I was telling my husband the gruesome Balmoral story and he looked puzzled and said, 'Contraceptives? I thought she was a devout Catholic?'
Claretta, London,
Ms Blair is often represented as being a brilliant lawyer. She in fact specialised in an area of law (Employment ) which is a purely political concept and has no linkage with the mainsteam jurisprudence of common law.
It is statute based and requires little intelectual ability to grasp.
It shows.
Stephen Green, Correns, France
Well done Libby to expose the dreadful Cherie! No Times for me while her memoirs are serialised.
Michael Read, Highgate, London N6
I think Cherie married the wrong chap. She would have made a wonderful partner for John Prescott.
Peter , Cap Ferrat, France
Well done! What a sensible survey of such a money grabbing female. Every word you have written is true. It is so refreshing.
David Kerr, St.Albans, UK
Glad I'm not on their Christmas present list!
Kate, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England
A huge thanks Libby for putting into words all the things I have felt about this unbelievable woman. It is so frustrating not to be able to express these opinions widely, and such a relief that you do it for us so succinctly and with pin-point accuracy. Dont stop !
Nicky, Kent,
Everyone should have smelled the coffee early on when she turfed out poor Humphrey.
krish, oxford, uk
Tony Blair,Lord Levy,Lord Adonis,Peter Mandelson,Charles Clark and others,were they ever socialists.? How did the Labour Party allow itself to be taken over by these people? From my experience of Labour acivists at local level, I can't imagine how three of them ever got selected as candidates.
Alan Bailey, Bewdley, England
Cherie Blair's behaviour has nothing to do with her working class background or her coming from Liverpool. I recognise her behaviour as that of someone who has been in the spotlight too long and a wider symptom of a political movement that has failed to regenerate itself - cf. Tory party 1996.
John, Guildford,
I am disgusted that this witch has smugly revealed that Leo had the MMR jab. During all the confusion at the time, the nation looked to its leader for a lead on this and he refused to tell us. I hold the Blairs culpable for drop in vaccinations and the upcoming measles epidemic.
Jack, Stevenage, UK
Agree with Libby. The book is not even well-written. Cherie's accounts read like an average 15 year old's diary. Not much evidence of her education there.
She might be good at passing law exams, but she hasn't an ounce of common sense. Who does she think she is? Egotistical rubbish.
sue, Cambridge, UK
The Blairs. Will forever be associated with the relentless pursuit of money, power and glamour regardless of how many people they have to tread on, lie to or cause the death of in pursuit of it. She is a hideous woman with an equally hideous husband and history will surely judge them both.
Joy, Crowthorne, UK
"Trouble with Cherie is that she has never risen above her working class background. She frankly is working class!"
Does that make those of us who are hard-working and just get on with our lot (made considerably worse by these champagne socialists) like her? I hope not.
Denise, Colchester,
I use tbe a great defender of Cherie , thinking she had a raw deal,sharing her politics and birth place. I don't want to know private details about her contraception, miscarriage etc. If Labour lose the next election it will be her,Prescott and Levy's fault - keep your big gobs shut!
Anne,London
Ann, London, UK
I shall purchase the book. I admire Mrs Blair's intellect and how she has achieved so much given her upbringing. Wanting financial security is normal for some! I feel that she has had a torrid time from the press (Mail) and women journalists (ENVY) and the snobbery of some in the Royal Family.
Jane, Lincoln,
Alan Clarke was one of our top historians. Witterings?
That is more the ludicrously overrated Jenkins' department.
Mark Lyndon, London, UK
Being woking class is a fine thing. Cherie cannot use that to excuse herself. How she can call herself that and a catholic and be so greedy and self decieving is amazing. What must her children think of her? I would be so ashamed if she were my mother
Jan McCarthur, London,
Oh god this is EXACTLY what EVERYONE is thinking this week but ne'er so well expressed Libby. Cherie can't help herself. I just think it's also fabulous that the Times is the paper serialising the book and also printing a piece like this. Now that's proper free speech.
Donal, Dublin , Ireland
Hypocrisy by a journalist......
It's a dangerous path to tread. Journalism has been smearing politcians for years. Cherie Blair is a free agent now and entitled to say what she likes.
Still can't stand the woman, and never have done, Socialism and Labour Party included - double standards!!
Drew, Nottingham,
Nobody need read these memoirs,let alone buy them!
The same goes for Prescott . When will people understand that one doesn't have to read everything in a paper & one can turn off a tv or radio.
Jackie, Eure et Loir, France
Fabulous article....well done. Absolutely spot on!
Ed, London,
This is no surprise. Any of it. These are politicians we are talking about where image is everything. It just goes to show that the person who worked in this field - Sarah Brown - is the one who has the most benign image.
John, Knutsford, Cheshire
Reading the snippets from the hideous money grabbing inepts, I am far more supportive of Gordon, all this debris falling on him will make him stronger, and people will see there's so little of substance in what they're saying. Well done supporting Sarah Brown too, thats very well deserved.
roarke, Wembley, UK
Bravo and well said!
Jessica, London,
Poor Leo - destined to be called Balmoral ala Brooklyn Beckham.
Jock, London
John Henderson, London, England
Absolutely spot on. We living in mature and liberal democracies always think of democracies in developing countries as a mere joke. Because unelected family members of ruling party in these countries make mockery of good governance with interferance in state craft. How different is Cherrie Blair?
Gopal Sharma, Loughborough, England
I hated the way the Dail Mail attacked Cherie Blair apparently for being a successful working mother with opinions married to a Labour prime minister. Now I cannot stand her. Power really does corrupt. There is clearly no depth to which she will not stoop. Doesn't she realise how bad she looks?
stephane, liverpool,
Cherie Blair: a truly uggly personality inside out! The knives are out for Brown, now that Cherie's husband is out of the post and they don't have anything to lose. This is a "How to" guide for their kids to learn to be human, decent and generous!
M de Silva, Beckenham, Kent
What a nasty bunch of people to be running our country.
J.M., Wokingham, UK
I can't understand why anyone would want to buy any of these memoirs. I was a bit disappointed with the tone of the article however, as it seemed to imply some sort of sympathy for Brown. If he can't take the heat of the job he should step down. He's useless anyway.
Steve, London,
This is great stuff. Best thing in the Times today. Don't ever give up writing, Libby. We need more like you!
Bergman Coffey, Belfast,
Someone mentioned allowing Cherie to "put the record straight". She's the last person on this Earth (other than Prescott perhaps) that is capable of that. She's a lying, self-serving egotist and thankfully most people see her for what she is. This article summed up my thoughts nicely.
Ross Liversidge, Ripon, UK
What a brilliant article ... summed up my feelings on the woman perfectly and succinctly!!
Anne, Cape Town, South Africa
We learned all we needed to know about Cherie Blair the moment her husband left his ( I repeat his, not hers, I dont remember CB being elected to anything) elected office. "We wont miss you", she snided at awaiting journalists, like some put upon celebrity, single handedly removing any dignity or self respect which Mr. Blair had spent years attempting to forge from the event. She is not missed. I have not read any or Mrs Blair's memoirs but hearing of her attack on Mrs Brown I can imagine what sillyness and self agradisment is contained therin.
Conor , London ,
What has Liverpool done to you people who have decided to insult on this forum? We are decent human beings but you decide to rip us apart through your snobbery. It says more about you than us....consider that.
Gerry Beckett, Liverpool, uk
A very good article.
Mr Blair received a good education. As prime minister he adopted a glottal stop in his speaking in order to appear demotic. This little hypocrisy says it all.
Ben Bisley, Bedford, England
Do not buy her book. Give her no more of our money.
clive, surrey, uk
What a beautifully written piece! You articulate my thoughts exactly. Your choice of adjective for Sarah Brown ("gentle") was so appropriate. Thank you.
Jennie, London, UK
I felt sorry for Cherie as I thought the press had unfairly got it in for her. But reading about her worries about how they would survive on a PM's salary, free housing, her earnings and everything else they get for free, once Brown had refused an increase in salary - and I changed my mind.
Emma, Exeter, UK
Absolutely spot on. Just goes to show that politics is a gravy train & they all want more gravy for their sickening memoirs at the end of the day.
Ian cheese, london, uk
Blimey! Please leave poor Cherie alone. She is allowed to set the record straight if she wants. She HAS got class and she is a remarkable role model. Why shouldn't she make as much money as she can?? New Labour are New Labour not communists. I am glad she put that stupid Princess Margaret right!
Amy Gibbs, Southampton, UK
Yet we poor readers had to navigate our way around Prescott's verbal vomit in the Sunday Times and Cherie's nonsense yesterday. Don't print it...the books won't sell. Sarah Brown's big failing is appalling taste in husbands.
Neil McF, Southampton, England
It is difficult to believe that anyone would buy one of these books, most sane thinking people would wish to forget the Blairs as quickly as they possibly could.
Scott, Bangkok, Thailand
1) More posts here with implicit disdain for 'working class' people and for Liverpool. Seems that snobbery still rules in England. 2) "For sex". Homophobic? Or countering the apparent hypocrisy of the pretended ignorance of someone who knew how to 'enjoy life'?
steve, Preston, uk
Great article Libby,just shows what a weak self serving family the Blairs are.When i think of the Blairs i always recall the picture of the little boy standing by the cenotaph wearing his Dads medals who was killed in Iraq( Sunday Times Mag),put's these people into perspective wouldn't you say.
Kenneth O'Boyle, Perth, UK
Well said Libby.
I was disappointed that the Times serialised this garbage but redeemed themselves by letting a respected journalist print the truth and save people money.
Thank you
But the pictures will be great for darts practice.
Paul, West Midlands,
This women has no "bottom ".Suprised (really? )that her husband would use the loss of a child to help him politically ,she regurgitates it happily to help her make money.
Money grubbing,grasping and without any self respect. A suitable companion to Blair and his opportunism.
Horrible people.
robert everitt, wolverhampton,
"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."
Shakespeare "Macbeth" (Act 5, Scene 5)
Ben, Reading, UK
Thank you Libby for confirming what I always thought. Your colleague Simon Jenkins referred to Mr Blair more than halfway through his tenure in office in this august journal as a shyster. Perhaps this country got the Government it deserved which is a shame for those who opposed it.
Gojko Drtcha, Leicester, UK
Quite right! Cherie is all the things you say; she lacks dignity and judgement (strange for a QC and ex-PM's wife). The memoirs seem to be full of self-justification, a hollow attempt to extract pity from a public who are fed up with her. She is wealthy and independent - why whine so much?
Andrew Fisher, Beckenham, UK
To John, Durham - please do not associate all Liverpudlians with the actions of this woman. Its immature and a gross generalisation, and the inference that she or her husband had any major influence over the decision to bestow the City of Culture honour on the city is completely insane.
Simon, London,
What an incisive and fair article - you manage to be both balanced and indignant . I particularly liked your comment on her treatment of Sarah Brown: the stark contrast between the two itself suffices to sum up CB's character. If she had any shame she would be blushing (all the way to the bank).
norma , livingston, uk
Snouts in the trough, as ever the socialist ideal. What`s their`s is mine, and what`s mine is mine. What`s good enough for all ain`t good enough for second rate overpaid lawyers.
Brian Thompson, Sutton Coldfield, England
I have never met this woman and I don't want to.
She has nothing of worth to say so why are we wasting valuable time discussing her?
Albert Hall, Kettering,
I wonder also at the timing of all these memoirs. After the next election all of this will be history when Cameron and his team (another saga in the making) sweep this lot away, and their value drops like a sub-prime mortgage.
I do wish the Times hadn't serialised this heap of dung.
Dave, Slough,
Trouble with Cherie is that she has never risen above her working class background. She frankly is working class!
Alan, New Forest, Hampshire
This is pretty head on stuff. The poor woman (Cherie) came from a dysfunctional family and was poor. Take your chance when you can. However, she has forever damaged her husband's chance of being a world statesman or European President. Thank God!
Gordon, Surrey
Gordon, Surrey,
Excellent article - now put your money where you mouth is Libby and run a national campaign to boycott these memoirs; they do nothing but line the pockets of these vulgar egomaniacs who have done so much harm - we can read the extracts online and donate an equivalent sum to armed forces charities
Arthur, London,
Wonderful article, and great writing. The literary ineptitude alone should be enough to put most people off these autobiographies.
No Nobel prize for Mrs Blair.
Wilson, Harrow, UK
The mystery for me was and still is, how such an intelligent woman, trained in a forensic and rigorous subject such as law, has no sense of judgement at all . Worryingly she is a QC and a Judge; the latter's critical faculty is the ability to judge!
I just can't understand how she performs in court
Tim, Oaham,
By her motormouth, Cherie Blair eloquently demonstrates that she has never left her Liverpool roots.
Howard, Chester,
A great description of Cherie without the inclusion of memoirs if you ask me !!!!
Ian Payne, WALSALL,
We shouldn't be surprised, after all, you can't expect too much from shallow people. I think Cherie is shallow and common. She seems to have no idea how to behave as fits her position.
Steve, Torrington,
Yes, a truly horrible woman, with and if you don't believe Libby, you can read it for yourself elsewhere on this site or by buying The Times. Here's to The Times for paying this dreadful woman to serialise her rubbish, eh?
Did someone say "double-standard"?
Paul, Brno, Czech Rep
I met Cherie.
She helped out when we lost a loved one.
There are, unfortunately people of no morals who would seek to attack this lovely women. You should all be ashamed.
kingkerouac, London,
Thank you Libby Purves. You have just justified my decision never to read Mrs. Blair's memoirs or give her any more time after reading this. She has now shown herself exactly what she has been, what she still is and no doubt what she will continue to be.
Jay Edwards, Toulouse, France
Oh, come on Libby - don't be so stuffy. Cherie got a hell of a lot of stick from the press - she's perfectly entitled to put the record straight now. Many of the things we were told about her at the time were untrue - that, surely, is the point? Why expect her to behave like you? She is herself.
MDA, London ,
What are her labour values - make as much money as I can without any scruples. No wonder the government is like a sieve: what hope is there if restoring trust and integrity?
William, London, uk
Well said.
Sous, Bristol,
Go on Libby, don't pull back, say what you mean. As they say, you can take the woman out of Liverpool bu you can never take Liverpool out of the woman. Strange how Liverpool is the European city of culture isn't it ? I wonder what influence she managed to exert on VT (Vain Tony) for that one?
John , Durham, UK
Thanks once again Libby for verbalising our thoughts! These tacky tomes of crass self-aggrandisement are, above all, very un-British.
But better the horses' mouths effuse these words, so that criticism and judgement are directed where due and that we learn first hand who has been (mis)leading us.
Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts
By way of contrast to these opportunistic authors, it is interesting to note that our beleaguered Prime Minister visited the London Book Fair this year at a time when he had no book to promote! The visit was much appreciated by those in the book world.
Jane, Exmouth, UK
"But on the other hand Mrs Brown has not exposed herself as a vain, self-regarding, shallow-thinking viper. And probably never will."
Tells me all I need to know. Excellent article; thank you.
Arundel, South Coast, UK
Socialist to the core, but even I have to say Labour has let me down badly. I have never stomached Cherie 'Big Mouth' Blair, for someone who often represented Britain. She has no class.
Jessica, Coventry , United Kingdom
Like Libby Purves, I picked up the nasty little snipe Mrs. Blair took at Princess Margaret.
If, during a conversation, the modern day euphemism of 'partner' is used to mean common law wife or husband, I am unable to stop myself from asking "Do you mean business or sleeping".
Patricia Thornton, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Absolutely chilling to think these are the people controlling & influencing the destinies of a country, exerting influence in international forums. Where did our western democratic system go wrong? Aren't people in positions like this to be supposed to be the best and ablest ? Chilling!!!
Antonio, Lisbon, Portugal
Dear Libby
Thank you for saying things which I dare not! I hope now the British Public will see the truth behind the sham of New Labour. No taste, no morals and no clue! Call these people socialists? I am glad I am true blue!
Richard, Plymouth,
Yes, a sad commentary on the Blair/s? government who were making major decisions for the UK and see how it left its people but not the Blairs $$$. And such an exhibit of someone with a law degree who should have more competence. Her education went for naught.
Deborah B. Luyster, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Cherie Blair's memoirs should be nominated for the Booker Prize for Fiction.
John, London, England
Very accurate.
Daniel, Auckland, New Zealand
There's a very quick and easy way to make these 'memoirs' go away. Don't buy them. If they don't make money, publishers won't commission any more. Then perhaps everybody can read decent autobiographies by people who achieved something; I suggest 'Timebends' by Arthur Miller as a starting point
Sophie, Liverpool,
Great article.
Richard, Shenzhen, China
Absolutely spot on!!
Mike, Barnsley, UK