How's Tony doing?

Unemployment was brought down to its lowest levels for 25 years; the minimum wage was introduced and a Human Rights Act incorporated into British law for the first time in history.

There were a series of other measures designed to help the less well-off - the working families tax credit and a minimum income guarantee for pensioners among them - all achieved while somehow maintaining a tight rein on spending and keeping the business community sweet.

But the health service has refused to get better, and the railways have descended into chaos.

Many traditional Labour supporters felt let down by New Labour's refusal to open the purse strings in its first term.

Then there was the perceived obsession with spin, and the whiff of sleaze associated with incidents such as Formula One king Bernie Ecclestones's £1 million donation to party coffers.

Recently, Gordon Brown's budget with its billions for the health service seems to herald a return to some of the values of Old Labour. But the PM's tendency to cast himself in the light of a world statesman post September 11 has brought him as much criticism as it has won him plaudits at home.

In 1997, the Evening Press invited a jury of readers to comment on the election campaign. Below, we go back to some of them for their verdict on New Labour five years on...

New Labour should get another chance

Margaret Lawson

Retired psychiatric nurse and grandmother

I think Tony Blair and his ministers are basically stable, decent, caring people.

He cannot do everything at once, and the British do like to moan, but I think he is doing his best.

Workers in the National Health Service are very stressed and waiting lists are too long, but there is excellent emergency care and I think the walk-in health centre provides a good service.

Teachers are also stressed, a lot is expected of them. But it is good to have high standards.

There is desperate poverty world-wide existing side-by-side with affluence. I don't know what the answer is, but at least I don't think Tony Blair is parochial. He looks at the broader picture. People do criticise Tony Blair for going abroad a lot, but he travels around in this country as well, with the foot and mouth and so on.

I could have hugged Gordon Brown when he gave everyone (pensioners) the £200 fuel allowance, and I think Cherie Blair is a marvellous example of womanhood. Tony could not have a more supportive wife.

Overall, I think it is a mixed picture, but New Labour should be given another chance. There was such a mess left (before Labour came to power). In the time they have had, I don't really have any major disappointments.

Blair is too nice and must firm up

Richard Stansfield

Photographer

Somehow it feels longer than five years since Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister. Generally Britain seems more or less exactly the same - not particularly worse, not particularly better. The biggest difference now is a lack of any credible opposition.

I think had Portillo, and not that other fellow, been elected Tory leader then we'd have seen much livelier debate on major issues.

Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell have played a very skilful game of allowing the issue of fox hunting to be raised at times when the Government looked to be floundering, safe in the knowledge a vocal condemnation of a 'sport' that includes the killing of animals, mainly enjoyed by a wealthy few, would always be highly emotive - and grab headlines. Now that debate is all but won, I guess they will have to hurriedly find something else, equally contentious, to avert the public's attention from any future government embarrassments!

Finally I'd have to say that five years on Britain's economy still looks pretty bright. But for how much longer? The mounting problems in the Middle East, terrorism, excessive consumer borrowing, a still worsening health service and a general perception of a growing, drug-fuelled lawlessness on British streets will need to see a firm, not just populist, leader in charge. So far, Tony Blair has given the impression he wants everyone to like him. Maybe now would be a good time for some to fear him.

Need more results in next two years

Susie Fothergill

Charity fundraiser

My overriding impression is that much of the hope and promise many people experienced in May 1997 has been a long time coming.

There has been a blurring of the boundaries between the two big parties over the past five years.

Before the budget it was difficult to see where the choice would be, and given recent events in France where this led to a porthole for the extreme right this is worrying.

The last budget saw a return to some of those original values, which might help to restore the definition.

I welcome an increase in taxation if it means better public services and education. Our children's teachers do a tremendous job. Acknowledging the good done by the literacy and numeracy strategy, I feel our education system is strangled by paperwork and overtesting. I also think they need to improve access to higher education, and abolish tuition fees.

Tony Blair's adoption of a presidential style is deeply depressing. The "special relationship" with George Bush is worrying, with its implications for world peace. I had hoped for a more European perspective.

I'm pleased to see treatment of cancer and palliative care are higher up the agenda than five years ago. Basically I'm an optimist. I believe they had a huge amount to put right in 1997 after 18 years out of office but the next couple of years are crucial. We need to see more results.

Many of us are better off now

Brian Oxberry

Retired teacher

For the most part I think they have done a good job.

Gordon Brown is a good chancellor, obviously a very intelligent man, and on the whole I think Britain is in better shape today.

I feel they had to see what was going on first before they started throwing money around. It was important to get on top and get the country ticking over healthily, and I think they have done that by and large.

I think all of us are better off. I know house prices are continuing to rise and it makes it difficult to get on the housing ladder, but for anybody who has property, they are sitting on an asset.

Tony Blair obviously likes to be liked, but overall I think he's a decent man. I cannot think why he has come up with this idea of taking child benefits away from the parents of persistent young offenders.

You cannot punish parents who are doing their best.

Children today are very difficult to control, and there would be others in the family who would suffer.

He has come up with several ideas like that which have not worked, and which are dropped.

On the spot fines, taking people to cashpoints, was one. It would be bare-faced robbery.

I can see the guy in the pub talking about something like that, but it's not what you expect from a Prime Minister.

But it shows he's human.

Updated: 10:31 Tuesday, April 30, 2002