Garcia, a D.J., who is unimpressed by arguments that Iraq should not detract from Mr. “I think it is a bit of a disgrace that the queen is looking to knight him,” said Mr. Blair was dining, attempted a citizens’ arrest on the former prime minister, alleging war crimes. Among the signatories of the petition is Twiggy Garcia, who, while working part-time in a restaurant in 2014 where Mr. Blair, and for some of his critics, it probably never will. That time has does not yet seem to have arrived for Mr. Professor Fielding said that, historically, it is not uncommon for successful prime ministers to suffer big drops in popularity after relinquishing power, and it has often been decades before their records are reassessed more evenhandedly. Blair “did lots of good things,” adding: “I think it’s only right that we do honor our previous prime ministers.” Blair’s government, saying that it had “introduced a national minimum wage and repaired the public services that had been neglected under the Tories.”Īnd there was also support from a government minister, Maggie Throup, who told LBC Radio that Mr. “He won three elections, he was a very successful prime minister.” Blair’s work on the Northern Ireland peace process. Starmer told ITV, citing achievements including Mr. “I don’t think it’s a thorny issue at all for me, I think Tony Blair deserves the honor,” Mr. Blair’s knighthood, and the current leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer - who has also been trying to shift the party to the political center - defended the decision to award it. Blair.ĭespite its support, the online petition is unlikely to succeed in its aim of rescinding Mr. Of the other four living former prime ministers, only John Major has received a knighthood-level honor, though Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May served in Downing Street after Mr. “If he could see it like that he would almost enjoy it, but clearly it’s painful to him.” “In a way the hate is in fact a tribute to Tony Blair,” Professor Fielding said. He is disliked by those on both wings of the political spectrum: Those on the left accused him of betraying his party’s values by shifting Labour to the center, while those on the right resented his formidable electoral appeal. Blair became a wealthy man and advised some foreign governments and multinational companies, reinforcing his reputation as someone who liked to cultivate the rich and powerful. He spent the last year of his premiership trying to establish his legacy, and it was all pointless because his legacy, like it or not, was Iraq, and is Iraq, and will remain Iraq.”īut after leaving Downing Street, Mr. “His reputation for the moment is locked into the Iraq war. “It’s a fool’s errand,” said Steven Fielding, professor of political history at Nottingham University.
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Blair stepped aside as prime minister in 2007, became a Middle East peace envoy, set up a foundation and has recently made a number of well-received suggestions about how to handle the pandemic.īut the speed with which the petition went viral illustrates that his efforts at political rehabilitation have had only limited success. The current prime minister, Boris Johnson, was not involved in the decision, his office said. Dating back almost 700 years, the order is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. Blair became a member of the Order of the Garter, following an appointment made on New Year’s Eve by the queen. Bush in a war in Iraq that became steadily more unpopular in Britain. That sentiment reflects the extent to which the legacy of the opposition Labour Party’s most electorally successful recent leader has been defined by his staunch support for the United States and President George W. Blair, 68, was “personally responsible” for causing the deaths of countless civilians and service members in “various conflicts,” adding that “he should be held accountable for war crimes.” The petition, which has no legal force, says Mr. Instead, more than 600,000 people have signed an online petition asking that the honor be rescinded, illustrating how one of Britain’s most successful politicians remains a divisive figure, never forgiven by his critics for taking the country to war in Iraq. LONDON - By tradition, former British prime ministers are honored by Queen Elizabeth some years after leaving 10 Downing Street, so the elevation of Tony Blair to a knighthood on New Year’s Day could have been a routine event.
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