Blair knighthood

[Mummyrowland]

Nearly half a million people have signed a petition over his knighthood in 48 hours.

It should be removed and he shouldn't be awarded it.

After all what did he do that was good?

What about all the squaddies he sent to their deaths over the supposed wmds?

High ranking members of the armed forces are threatening resignation if his award isn't reconsider

He was a war hero in Kosovo.

People forget the context, Bosnia was still a recent memory.

Also while we're at it Afghanistan not really a roaring success but no one seems to be bothered about that.

Also he was an excellent domestic PM and they lifted aspirations and children out of poverty.

@Huy456

He was a war hero in Kosovo.

People forget the context, Bosnia was still a recent memory.

Also while we're at it Afghanistan not really a roaring success but no one seems to be bothered about that.

Also he was an excellent domestic PM and they lifted aspirations and children out of poverty.

This is what is called a balanced post. Please do not post in this manner in future, but instead stick with having an ill informed rant.

@madisonbridges

I care not one ounce what Chilcott thought. Campbells staff trawled the Internet and found a thesis which they then plagiarised and put in the dossier as fact. Blair and the Americans then presented that doctored thesis as reliable Intel. Chilcote can say that wasn't Blair lying but what else can it be? Maybe there's some legal nicety to describe what he did but where I come from, it's called a lie. I'm not terrified of Tony Blair. Why would I be? He's had his time and commands little respect amongst most people. I just feel that whether they agree with the war or not, people should acknowledge that Blair, Campbell and Powell were far from honest in their dealings in the run up to the war.

If you cannot accept the results of a long running public inquiry, then there is no arguing with you.

This idea the USA needed the Brits to trawl the 'net to justify a war is laughable.

@Tealightsandd

Returning to Blair's war on the disabled.

Yes Thatcher did bad things too. Not least introducing the devastating right to buy. But Blair didn't reverse it. He took all her worse policies, continued them, and then went way further than she'd ever gone.

You obviously never lived through Thatchers Britain or you voted for her...... What she did to the UK was nothing short of criminal, she took away apprenticeships, destroyed manufacturing, sold off utilities to Tory mates, right to buy, removed almost all unionisation - handing power to business and look how they have rewarded themselves? destroyed mining communities, using the police as her private army.

Slashed spending on health, education, benefits and according to Whitehall documents, wanted to end the NHS (always a Tory aim) and universal education, squander n - sea oil by allowing private companies to take almost all the profit.

the only good thing she did was in her support for the EU's Single Market but even that has now been thrown away by the Tories.

But as always "..... but Labour"

It doesn't matter about all that, Alexandra. It's clear that according to some posters on here, Tony Blair is essentially to blame for anything bad that happened before him because he didn't reverse it all. He's also to blame for anything bad that happened after him because he started it and/or didn't reverse all Thatcher's shit , as above.

Like you say, it's because he's Labour. The Tories hate him as a successful Labour leader and the left of the Labour party hate him because he wasn't pure enough. it's absolutely maddening.

You are utterly deluded.
It's pointless.

^ this in a nutshell what pp said ^

I don't think it's a Labour-Tory thing.

I think the knighting of any 20th century PM is going to get a similarly outraged response (unless you're the Speaker of the HoC who thinks they should all be knighted).

Apart from lying to the entire world about Iraq, Blair is odiously self-serving and is known to have advised and supported murderous foreign dictators since resigning (eg Rwanda, Kazakhstan). According to a normal person, that behaviour would be known as bringing the good old Realm into disrepute; apparently in the Queen's books, that kind of thing is just what her Knight Companions should be doing (who's that other KC involved with Kazakhstan... I think some relative of the monarch with a sweating problem if I recall correctly)

It just shows what a medieval farce the honours system is.

Why would they all want to dress up like prats in hats anyway?

Can't they just go on a day trip to Warwick Castle if that's their thing?

images.app.goo.gl/MVgkdZx3dkfLbSH39

@NiceShrubbery Blair took an unpaid role helping Rwanda rebuild long after the 1994 Genocide, which the Tory Govt (among others) allowed to happen.

Blairs advice to Kazakhstan President after shooting dead 15 protestors is completely wrong.

Yes honours system belongs in the 16th century.

Alexandra2001 Unpaid role my arse. Financial enrichment is his reason for breathing.

If you cannot accept the results of a long running public inquiry, then there is no arguing with you.
Read the Chilcott report. He's damning of Tony Blair and how he compiled the evidence that the security services was telling him was "unproven". Chilcott also said about the dossier, "Iraq's capabilities were presented with a certainty that was not justified." He said so much more. Don't just dismiss what I'm saying because you like Tony Blair.

This idea the USA needed the Brits to trawl the net to justify a war is laughable.
It's laughable that it actually happened. The UN had refused to sanction the invasion and so many countries did not want to get involved. The US wanted to persuade countries but, like the UK, had little actual evidence of WMD. They were happy to use any evidence they could find to encourage others to join the invasion to give it legitimacy. When Blair produced a dossier which included unreliable and fictitious intel, they didn't question it, rather they promoted it as it suited their purpose. Colin Powell quoted it.

This is all on the record. I'm not speculating. It's true that Chilcott did not say that Blair was a liar. But he did say that Blair believed there were WMDs but had weak evidence so he used language to firm that up to give more weight to his argument. You might not think that taking, as the secret services say, "unproven" intel and giving it as indisputable fact is a lie. You might not think that taking a thesis and firming up language from that and presenting it as factual intelligence is lying. It just so happens I do.

@Alexandra2001

Tony Blair: 'My job was to build on some Thatcher policies'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-22073434

Like I say, Blair continued all of Thatcher's worst policies. He was quite open about this (credit to him for his rare honesty).

Now I'm aware that Owen Jones is himself a rather divisive figure on here - but remember we can completely disagree with someone on one issue, whilst totally agreeing with them on another different matter. Afterall, we are all individuals with wide and varied opinions, not clones. Here on Blair he is bang on.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/07/labour-tony-blair-prime-minister-grassroots

Anyway, 1 million signatures 👏👏

Happy Friday!

Only another 50 million to go...

Even if the whole country signs the petition, as this particular award is apparently the monarch's personal decision, it can't be revoked, because of reasons.

Queen sticking two fingers up at public opinion while she still can. Who cares what the serfs think.

And shooting the ostrich and heron for the feathers on the cap will give Andrew a nice change from grouse.

Queen sticking two fingers up at public opinion while she still can. Who cares what the serfs think.

The poor Queen. Officially it's her decision but reality is different. The fact that she waited 14 years (when usually ex PMs get honoured fairly soon after leaving office) speaks volumes about her true feelings.

The Queen did not like TB. She never forgave him about how he spoke to her over Diana's death - even though he was probably right. She didn't like Cherie Blair either. Probably didn't appreciate her sharing her contraception mishaps at Balmoral. Ugh. Can't blame her.
She delayed giving the knighthood as long as she could and as a result no one after could get one. She probably holds him equal disdain to the million that signed the petition.

Believe that, you'll believe anything.

More likely it's a reward for TB's expert advice on opaque offshore asset structures.

He's a wanker!

He’s about a million times better than the bladder of lard currently occupying No 10.

[quote Tealightsandd]@Alexandra2001

Tony Blair: 'My job was to build on some Thatcher policies'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-22073434

Like I say, Blair continued all of Thatcher's worst policies. He was quite open about this (credit to him for his rare honesty).[/quote]
I played that video, you have selectively quoted, so he didn't reverse privatisations or union "reforms" correct! but he then says with a wry smile "my job was to try and build on them"

He didn't "continue them" at all, he didn't introduce more union reform nor further industrial privatisations.

PFI is an odd one, increase public borrowing, rise taxes or lease contracts (PFI) but at least Labour were pragmatic, they used the private sector to reduce waiting lists until more staff and building in place, something the Tories will be forced to do, at huge cost too..

@madisonbridges

The Queen did not like TB. She never forgave him about how he spoke to her over Diana's death - even though he was probably right. She didn't like Cherie Blair either. Probably didn't appreciate her sharing her contraception mishaps at Balmoral. Ugh. Can't blame her. She delayed giving the knighthood as long as she could and as a result no one after could get one. She probably holds him equal disdain to the million that signed the petition.

Wow! a Mumsnetter who is a close confidant of the Queen, we are blessed

Your hatred of the man shows just powerful he was.
I recall a much fairer Britain. I remember a feeling of a party that was much more centred. Without a doubt Brown was the brains and had some fantastic policies to get Britain working and the low paid could feel better off working and not feel stigmatised. Do you know how hard it is to claim PIP if you are disabled how utterly cruel the process is. Now the benefits systems means you can't possibly save you aren't allowed to be anything other than poor.
As for education its on its knees this government under Gove has created a two tier system again. The social divide is widening once again all in favour of those that can send their kids to private school. You do realise that there is no such thing as the better educated you are the more intelligent you are. Bright students can no longer go to university. Why should that be just for the rich,?
Sure start centres were amazing brilliant places to support parents and babies. They were free and accessible. There is nothing now.
Northern Ireland a mess for years a war fuelled by Thatcher and her hatred of Ireland. He brought peace and listened to both sides.
The country was thriving the debt was low their was optimistic. Business thrived workers had rights.
How many wars have been fought under dubious means. Saddam was a murderous mad evil dictator who butchered his own. The Tories voted to go to war. All the papers at the time were shouting we had no choice.
Carry on with your hate you know the real reason you hate him is deep down he was a powerful force for change. This country is right wing sadly and looks to remain so.

He challenged the status quo and wasn't afraid to stick his neck out. He was passionate about making life better for everyone. He was a Christian and had morals and values. Sadly he been vilified for his ethics. Those that can't believe a human can operate on this level seek to infer everything was deliberate. He says it haunts him those aren't the words of a man who doesn't care.
Did Thatcher care did she give two hoots to all the steel workers miners and industrial workers she took their livelihood from and had them run over by police horses when they protested. They were given benefits to shut up and go away. Whilst their livelihoods were stripped from them.
She stripped social housing and encouraged spending and borrowing then interest rates shot up to 14% many lost their homes. Did she care did Baroness Thatcher care nope her cronies told the poor to get on their bike. She changed the value system made the greed is good a mantra. Yet when the bubble burst and over 3 million unemployed she wasn't able to offer any solutions as she'd stripped industries and our love of financial sector wasn't enough.
Compare a lack of employment rights maternity pay decent education...teachers were constantly on strike under Thatchers Britain. There were riots strikes people a real north south divide.
Blair United the country wanted to celebrate youth culture and social mobility. He practiced what he preached. People didn't like that they didn't trust an honest politician.

Look at the useless lying feckless fuckers we have now. We almost expect them to lying shysters. Today we were he fiddled his expenses. He is responsible for the deaths of many over his stalling to go into lock down . The NHS is on its knees because of them nor Covid-19. They laugh in our faces as they continued to flaunt lock down rules. He lied about the EU and we are only going to see prices continue to rise. What contingency plan has he got. He's incapable of that level of thought. Carry on with your pathetic signatures I doubt Blair really wants to be a arcane title anyway.

He was a Christian and had morals and values. Sadly he been vilified for his ethics

TB's personal values became plain for all to see after he left office. His lies and greed have sadly eclipsed any good he might have done while PM. Read Tom Bowers' book Broken Vows for a bit of insight (I'm not recommending that book as I don't like the author's style at all, but it raises a lot of interesting questions about TB's ethics).

He's a worldbeater in political chicanery so by all means give him a medal for that. But not for outstanding service to the nation. Do British people really want to be associated with - and reward - those kinds of values? Very sad, if so.