Do most people 'dislike' Tony Blair?

[AgentZigzag]

I accept that the word dislike may not fully encompass the emotional response he provokes in some people, but I personally don't think he's that bad. I see him as a politician who's had to make difficult decisions, rather than someone who took us to war for dishonest reasons.

It was his job to look at the bigger picture after 9/11, I've just seen him saying on the Iraq Inquiry that 3000 people were killed on that day, and if they could have, they would have killed 30000. Surely he had to do everything and anything he thought necessary to try and protect us from people whose reality is so distorted that they would gladly kill and maim as many people in the west as possible, and certainly don't play by any of the rules of normal modern warfare.

I don't think I'm being naive, and I can't stand Labour so it's not because I'm some NuLab fan, but I just don't think he's as bad as the media wants us to think he is.

He is indeed a master of obfuscation.

But it's OK, because he prayed to God and God told him he was right.

Of course, he has long been suffering from hubris.

Quite agree dittany. I have often thought sadly of what we lost in him. There's not really anyone about like him any more, or really any truly principled politicians any more.

Do we get what we deserve by way of leaders? I really hope not, but I fear it may be true.

All this dislike for Blair seems like it is straight from the Daily Mail. It's like it is even in their words............victims of media propaganda??

I genuinely think he made the country better for a lot more people (i.e. not just the rich)

I don't believe the Prime Minister is soley responsible, or even mostly responsible, for the decisions that are taken by the government, especially on such a big issue as committing troops to fight.

To me, the most powerful people are the ones you never hear about, the ones behind the scenes that probably don't change that much whichever political party is in power.

I'm not talking about conspiracy/illuminati kind of people, but there are a lot working in Westminster who oil the cogs of government, and I'm sure it's workings are nothing like the propaganda peddled to us by the media.

I cannot begin to express my feelings about Tony Blair. I refused to get out of bed the morning after the 1997 general election because I knew, even at the tender age of 18, that a complete scheister had taken over and we were going to hell in a hand cart. Nothing that has happened in the last 13 years has altered my opinion one jot.

He sleeps the sleep of the deluded, herbietea, of the zealot. I expect if he is still alive, Osama Bin Laden also sleeps like a baby.

I sincerely hope if elected David Cameron hands him over to the Hague to be indicted for war crimes. He has blood on his hands. To say he has no regrets is outrageous.

My own view of him is that he was fine prior to sept 11 but thereafter he felt he could down in history as a great leader - ie his vanity got the better of him and he threw his lot in with Bush and the war - we are ALL now paying.

That, the fact that ensured he left a horrible mess for Brown and the death of Dr Kelly makes me feel like he should go down in history with shame.

If it wasn't for Iraq he'd be remembered a lot more fondly. About the worst thing he had done up to that point was introduce tuition fees. Which seemed bad enough, at the time.

Even if you dislike Labour, what's the best thing they have done? I'd have to vote for Child Tax Credit and free entry to museums.

Unusually for me I cannot decide either way.

I'd like to see a trial though, at least then he could have a chance to defend cries of mass murderer; I thought we were into that it in this country?

The hunting ban for me UDad

My pensioner mum was a fan.

I was until we were aligned right behind the US.

I met him on a few occasions before he became PM - back then, my sibling and I were completely in awe of him - he was very bright and affable and lovely towards us; left a lasting impression; still have some mementoes from that period. never saw him post 1998 - he could have changed or be a bad decision maker - really don't know

Oh yes, the hunting ban and free museum entry for the middle classes who could afford it anyway was worth 200,000 Iraqis.

And both are cut from the same cloth as Kennedy. Another scheister.

"not much of a moral centre apart from being very authoritarian" - actually, he was the exact opposite of this when I knew him (would emphasise that i did not know him that well anyway)

I detest him. I believe he is possibly the most evil leader this country has ever had.

"By their deeds, shall ye know them" anabellapity.

I don't 'dislike' Tony Blair, I utterly despise him. He is the lowest of the low, the scum of the back of the scum. I long for the day he buggers off to America permenantly.

I agree Eurostar.