London
Prime Minister Tony Blair was in the hot seat this week over allegations that he intended to give peerages to four millionaires in exchange for secret loans to his Labor Party. One of the lenders, restaurateur Sir Gulam Noon, who is known as “the curry tycoon,” has withdrawn his name from consideration for a seat in the House of Lords; the others are expected to follow. But the scandal has taken its toll. When Blair became prime minister, in 1997, after ousting the corruption-plagued Conservatives, he promised to run an administration that was “purer than pure.” But a poll this week showed that nearly three-fourths of voters believe his government is “as sleazy or sleazier” than its predecessor.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘We must empower young athletes with the knowledge to stay safe’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Fox’s Kilmeade sorry for ‘just kill’ homeless remarkSpeed Read Kilmeade’s ‘rare on-air apology’ also served as Fox News’ response to the controversy
-
Russian drone tests Romania as Trump spinsSpeed Read Trump is ‘resisting congressional plans to impose newer and tougher penalties on Russia’s energy sector’
