Recently departed Prime Minister Tony Blair's fetish for the rich and powerful is well-documented, the PM reportedly going "dewy-eyed" and starstruck in the company of wealth. It's understandable enough - the super-rich have been known to have this effect and power is the kind of aphrodisiac that can give the sternest leader the political horn. Yet more disturbing is today's revelation of the Chequers guest list in Blair's last 18 months in power. Where you'd expect the Kissingers, the Boutros-Ghalis and the Putins it reads like a list of guests on Loose Women. Lorraine Kelly, Richard Madeley, Fiona Phillips, Tess Daly and Vernon Kay, June Sarpong - the people being entertained at the taxpayers' expense at the Prime Minister's official country retreat have a distinct daytime telly feel. Just what's going on here? Was the PM sounding out Vernon Kay on economic policy? Sweet-talking June Sarpong into selling ID cards to the youth? No wonder they kept this quiet until after his departure.
The only possible explanation is that Blair plans his own invasion of the daytime schedules. The War on Telly is close at hand. He may attempt to eclipse Harold Wilson's brief career as a talk-show host but I think he has his sights set higher than that. Power is narcotic and if you thought being Prime Minister was the ultimate high you should know that it is simply a gateway drug.
Because Blair has finally realised what real power is. There's a reason why Jamie Oliver revolutionised school dinners where generations of pressure groups and nutritionists had failed. Its the same reason that Richard and Judy are now the most important people in publishing, making and breaking careers like some literary casting couch. People listen to them because they're off the telly. Disillusion with politics has rarely been deeper, alarmingly low voter turnout is common and the opposition are in disarray. If Jamie Oliver can be treated like a war hero for telling kids not to eat pizza surely a genius level populist like Blair can come up with some campaign that speaks to the man in the street? You can see it now - addressing the camera like he's addressing a friend, the open collar to go with the open body language, the meaningful pauses, the transparent blokeisms. Before you know it you'll have signed up to whatever campaign he's pushing and, as with all good hypnotists, you won't remember a thing. After 18 months courting daytime TV royalty Blair is now primed and ready to go. The question is - are you ready for him?
