Tony Blair: Has the Prime Minister secured even the minimal guarantee from the Euro-rebels that, on a future vote of confidence on Europe, they will support him? John Major: I can sense the concern in the right hon. Gentleman's voice. Perhaps he would like to tell me whether he has received the support of the 50 MPs who defied his Front Bench over Maastricht; of the 40 who defied him over European finance; on a single currency, where the right hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) was in dispute with the deputy leader of the Labour party; and on clause IV, which half his, I think he called them, infantile MEPs want to keep. He does not, and his deputy leader does one day and does not the next. These are party matters. Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us what his position is? Tony Blair: There is one very big difference-I lead my party, he follows his.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Contrasts leading a party with following internal dissent.
- In plain terms
- I lead my party while others are led by their MPs.
- What can you take from it?
- Effective leaders guide their teams rather than follow them.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What is the difference between leading and following?
- How much dissent should a leader tolerate?
Another view
Leadership that ignores dissent can lead to alienation or mistakes.
More from Tony Blair
Any parent wants the best for their children. I am not going to make a choice for my child on the basis of what is the politically correct thing to do.
Permalink to quote #4 We have no plans to increase tax at all.
Permalink to quote #6 The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.
Permalink to quote #3
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