ONE DOOR CLOSES..

One of the most contradictory moves in recent years was the appointment of Tony Blair as Middle East Peace Envoy.   Belief was seldom beggared to such an extent as when, as long ago as 2007, he was shoehorned into the role by The Quartet of the UN, USA, EU and Russia with the brief to sort out the Israeli/Palestinian impasse, acting as a wandering statesman on the international scene with access to world leaders.  Words such as gross and grotesque somehow sprang to mind.

No surprise then, that after all these years in the job, the failure to achieve any semblance of success suggested that the most helpful thing he could do was to fall on his sword.  But world statesmen and charlatans don`t do that.  Instead, it`s reported that he is `stepping back,` that the role is being "reconfigured," with Blair saying that he hopes still to be involved in the discredited `peace process.`   Sources from the US Government, however, state that the role "is no longer viable"  and that Blair has "no credibility" left in that process.

So what will Tone do now, I wonder?   Well, fortunately a suitable vacancy has just emerged in his north-east spiritual home.  Perhaps he would fancy managing Sunderland for in Blair land, as soon as one door closes, another one opens........