In the run-up to its landslide victory in 1997 one of the strengths of New Labour was its ability to keep secrets. Though plans were made for the party’s first 100 days in power, nothing important leaked. Nothing.
It would not be that way at the end of Tony Blair’s time as prime minister when the TB-GB wars were at their height, but at the beginning Labour’s top team were utterly clamlike. I’m delighted to say such caution was washed away yesterday on BBC Radio 4’s The Reunion. Hosted by Kirsty Wark, the show brings together key players from a moment in history to reflect on what they did then, and any lessons that might apply now, the hope being that time’s passing will loosen previously sealed lips.
The programme, repeated this Friday or available on BBC Sounds now, featured Jack Straw, then home secretary, Harriet Harman, social security secretary and minister for women, Sue Nye and Anji Hunter, advisers to Gordon Brown and Tony Blair respectively, Jonathan Powell, Blair’s chief of staff, and Alex Allan, principal private secretary to Tony Blair. First to spill the beans was Hunter. She said Jon Sopel, then BBC political reporter, now a leading podcaster with The News Agents, got in touch with her on election day.
“He actually rang me up in the afternoon - I hope he doesn’t mind me saying that - to give me the exit poll. I said to him, ‘Jon, don’t tell anyone else’.” Hunter couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
(It should be noted that this was.