Roy Hattersley seems to vacillate between dogged defence and catlike offence in his relationship to New Labour. But in today's comment, I think he really nails it:
"Ever since New Labour was invented, the self-promotion of its publicists - Alastair Campbell and Peter Mandelson in particular - has encouraged the suspicion that Tony Blair cared more for style than substance. That was damaging enough when the novelty of "the Project" made journalists give the government the benefit of the doubt. Now that the novelty has worn off the government has no idea how to face adversity. Ministers behave as if it is sinful to criticise the government and offenders must be punished."