Q: Do you think Labour’s recent defeat could have been avoided?
A: Yeah, this was not an election we had to lose at all. And the fact that the Tories didn’t win an overall majority shows that. My constant refrain before I left was that if Labour wasn’t driving through a strong agenda of change, we would lose traction. And that’s what really happened in the end.
Q: Are you in touch with Gordon Brown?
A: Yes. Even though we had a disagreement that was pretty savage at times, I still have a great respect for the work he did as chancellor [of the exchequer], and also the work he did on the banking crisis at the time he was prime minister. The friendship goes back a long way and hopefully will continue, even though we had a profound disagreement.
Q: What about the far-reaching budget cuts David Cameron’s government is proposing? Do you see any alternative?
A: You’ve got to tackle the deficit, that’s for sure. But how that’s done or when you withdraw the fiscal stimulus are delicate matters of policy. And one of the things that I decided when I left was not to comment on my successors, at least when they are there.
Q: As a Mideast peace envoy, you’ve been trying to bridge the gap between Israel and the Palestinians. In the book, you say the breakthrough in Northern Ireland came when outside parties got a grip on the peace process. Face-to-face negotiations start again in Washington this week. Do you think President Obama and the other people you are working with have the necessary sort of hold now?
A: Yes, I do. The single most important thing is that Obama started this as his presidency began. I think this is probably the most important moment since Oslo. There is a real chance of success. If it fails we’re in deep trouble.
Q: Some people believe a deal between Israel and the Palestinians will be a sort of magic bullet for the West’s problems in the Arab world. Do you share that view?
A: I do believe that if you reach a just and fair settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians it will have a massive influence on countering extremism. Which is not to say that the Israel-Palestinian situation is the source of the problem, but it is very potent fuel.
Q: This memoir offers detailed policy prescriptions for Labour’s future, peacemaking, and the economy. It raises an obvious question: do you ever see yourself making a comeback?
A: The truthful answer is that in British politics, I don’t see that. But you never know what will happen. I might have done the European president’s job last year, but it wasn’t to be. So, I’ve never ruled out the possibility of going back into public service.
