![]() ![]() Speaking to ITV, Starmer said he understood many held "strong views" about the Iraq war, but said that this did "not detract from the fact that Tony Blair was a very successful prime minister of this country and made a huge difference to the lives of millions of people in this country.”īut for Iraqis, and many others across the globe, the 2003 invasion has come to be seen as an outrage. On Tuesday, Blair's successor as Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, said that the former prime minister "deserves" to be knighted and cited a number of domestic reforms he introduced during his time in office, 1997-2007. "It's horrendous news to be honest," he said. The actions of British forces in Basra have repeatedly come in for criticism with claims of willful killings, detainee abuse, and what the International Criminal Court has deemed "credible allegations of torture and rape".Īpart from the initial violence, many have argued that the subsequent chaos provoked by the invasion led to the rise of the Islamic State group, who capture vast swaths of Iraq and Syria in 2014 and have launched terror attacks around the world that have led to thousands of deaths.Īli al-Baroodi, a teacher and campaigner in the former IS stronghold of Mosul - which was obliterated in 2017 in a foreign-backed campaign to defeat the militant group - told MEE that honouring Blair was "disgusting" referring to him as "B-Liar" as many anti-war campaigners have done. ![]() Sakini, whose Sairoun party won the largest number of seats in Iraq's parliamentary elections last October, said giving Blair the title was effectively " honouring the violation" that was the Iraq war. "It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country."Especially for Tony Blair, who participated in the occupation of Iraq and was a major reason for wasting the resources of this country." Knighthoods have been bestowed regularly on former prime ministers.įollowing the announcing, Sir Tony said: "It is an immense honour to be appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen. Sir Tony, who was PM between 19, has come under fire repeatedly for his involvement in the war in Iraq. Read more: April could have 'catastrophic' impact on cost of living for swathe of UK population ![]() "We petition the Prime Minister to petition Her Majesty to have this honour removed." "Tony Blair is the least deserving person of any public honour, particularly anything awarded by Her Majesty the Queen. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes. "He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicemen in various conflicts. The petition, started by Angus Scott, says: "Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. ![]()
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