Wacha1
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- Dec 21, 2009
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Petition to strip Tony Blair of his knighthood reaches 25,000 names
The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award.
Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion.
Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published.
In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.'
All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years.
It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'.
On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.'
Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!'
Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list.
Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country.
In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Take your pick! When our president entertains a war criminal there must be something wrong somewhere.
'What a disgusting, shameful decision': Fury as Tony Blair is given a knighthood with Britons branding him a 'war criminal' and demanding honours system is scrapped – as petition calling for him to be stripped of the award reaches 25,000 signatures.
The decision to make Tony Blair a Sir has been met with anger by many on social media, as the former Prime Minister was branded a 'war criminal', with more than 25,000 signing a petition to block the award.
Sir Tony has long faced a backlash over his decision to lead the UK into Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost the lives of 179 British personnel as well as many more civilians. But it was announced last night that he had been appointed to the Order of the Garter as a Knight Companion.
Angus Scott launched the petition on Change.org shortly after news of the award was published.
In an explanation in his petition, Mr Scott wrote: 'Tony Blair caused irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society. He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicement in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes.'
All but one of the prime ministers before him were appointed a few years after leaving office. But Sir Tony waited over 14 years.
It had been suggested that the Queen's strained relationship with him during his ten years in power may have contributed to the 'snub'.
On Twitter today, many made their feelings clear following the ennobling. Political commentator Liam Young wrote: 'The man should be in the dock of The Hague. What a shameful day.'
Another said: 'The contempt in which Britain's elite holds the public has never been more eloquently expressed than in the decision to award Tony Blair the highest order of knighthood. One million Iraqis dead, three million dispossessed, a trail of blood to 7/7. Rise Sir Tony!'
Many others demanded an overhaul of the honours system, with one user describing it as the 'favour for a friend' list.
Sir Tony has faced years of criticism over the Iraq War, culminating in the devastating report by Sir John Chilcot in 2016, which found that the former prime minister overplayed evidence about Saddam Hussein's weaponry and ignored peaceful means to send troops into the country.
In a devastating set of conclusions, Sir John found Blair presented the case for war with 'a certainty which was not justified' based on 'flawed' intelligence about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Take your pick! When our president entertains a war criminal there must be something wrong somewhere.
