Tony Blair makes my skin crawl....

Errmm... the Northern Irish peace process has resulted in relative peace, which is exactly what it was intended to do. Do you seriously not remember the situation before the peace process? The GFA meant compromise, but sometimes the end can justify the means.

Horrible thread. Surprised people haven't just let it die.

I cannot believe the vitriol that comes out of people’s mouths at the moment I have never in all my long life met with such blatant nastiness Where have all the good values gone
Thank you for not including me janeainsworth

Thank you for not including me either janeainsworth.

And missing my innocent comment?
?

Another negative, nasty thread about an individual who made huge mistakes but whose government also contributed positively to this country. Years of tory government meant our schools, hospitals and other public services were on their knees. Very similar to the position we find ourselves in now.
It's a relief to see some posters who can acknowledge the negatives but don't resort to pathetic 'makes my flesh crawl -references to 'devil eyes'.
Thanks janeainsworth

Agree with janeainsworth. Spot on.

Agreed, it was probably not a good idea to start a thread on Tony Blair because there is so much seething resentment bubbling away it was always going to get nasty. Although there are no complaints on other threads when people make the most vile and unpleasant comments about Johnson and Farage.

I think Iraq haunts Blair and always will do. When he was PM he promised to put education first and, ok there were mistakes [wasn't the introduction of academies due to him; I could be wrong] but he was true to his word and money was put into education. And those that complain about him pandering to terrorists are forgetting that the abomination that is Brexit is probably going to bring back the troubles which is why Blair is devastated that all of his good work is being unravelled. There was much more to it than just pandering to terrorists because he got America on board. imo he speaks more sense these days than most of the other politicians put together. I used to be terrified of going into town for fear of IRA bombs and I will always be grateful to him for stopping that and he cared about Yugoslavia at a time when the rest of the world didn't seem bothered. He's not perfect but then, who is?

I likes Tony Blair; it was the only time I voted Labour!

I can't imagine why the OP thought it a good idea to start this vitriolic thread about Blair when there is so much going on currently which will impact on all our lives for far longer than anything Blair did.

Thank goodness many of us remember the good that was done during the time he was PM, as Labaik has so ably described above. I couldn't agree more. The problem seems to be that it's the right message, but the wrong messenger.

So you need so stop harking back and concentrate on what's happening before our very eyes right now.

agreed jane.

So you need so stop harking back and concentrate on what's happening before our very eyes right now.

And the Middle East is in the turmoil it's in now, is a direct result of the action that Blair took 're his "weapons of mass destruction" lies. We're still reaping what he sowed and so it's still relevant.

Agreed Chewbacca - all our current problems stem from the Blair years, Middle East policy and open door immigration. On balance he did much more harm than good.

Conflict in the Middle East predates Tony Blair by decades, if not centuries.

we knew Thatcher was a Tory but Blair sailed under the Labour name.
We were betrayed.

Whilst I agree there has been trouble in the Middle East, well certainly since the Balflour Declaration and possibly before that, I do think the public were mislead on the WMD issue that pre-empted the Iraq Invasion. Then of course there is the cloud that surrounds the questionable death of Dr David Kelly the subject of many an article and documentary.

Conflict in the Middle East predates Tony Blair by decades, if not centuries.

It does indeed janeainsworth. So how was starting a war with Iraq in 2003, and lying to the country about why invading them and starting a war was necessary, a good or positive thing to do? The Chilcott enquiry said, in its summary of the case: "I think any prime minister taking a country into war has got to be straight with the nation and carry it, so far as possible, with
him or her. I don’t believe that was the case in the Iraq instance.”

He was led by his emotions; not actual evidence or intelligence.

And yes TerriBull, the death of Dr David Kelly is another cloud that remains unanswered.

Chewbacca I'm sure janeainsworth is well able to argue her own corner. I'm responding to your question about how stating the war in Iraq in 2003 'and lying to the country about why invading them... was necessary, a good or positive thing to do"
I suspect janea, like me would never claim that anything positive came of the invasion. I don't know about janea but I was one of the thousands marching under the Not in my Name banner. It's one of those occasions when being proved right is no consolation.
I can't defend anything about Iraq. I can claim that the Blair government did some good things in deprived areas I worked in. Family Centres, Community Schools, focus on education, health, midwives, health visitors and early years, all excellent. Research is clear - early years focus and spending makes for a safer, better society.

re " austerity"......I was talking to people collecting for our local foodbank today. These are middle class people in an affluent area btw. They were in tears telling me the desperation they encounter.

I'm sorry, but why? the fourth most wealthy country and children are starving, I don't recall that during the Blair years.

Those of you who despise immigration, come out, don't be afraid....what exactly is your problem?

You are anonymous here, so please share.

He still thinks he is a voice to be listened to

Ah, if only Call me Dave would come back....

Those of you who despise immigration, come out, don't be afraid
Don't be so dramatic. It's the concept of 'open door' immigration that most people dislike and also where unidentifiable people slink into the country illegally and disappear. This means we have no idea who has entered (could be terrorists or criminals) and surely no-one actually thinks that's a good thing. If they do then I'd like to know why.

Why is this thread any worse than those about anyone else?
Remember the JRMogg thread? The Farage thread? The Boris Johnson thread ( still ongoing) .....etc.
Oh....’is it cos I is Labour’ kind of thing?
Is Tony Blair beyond reproach?!

I worked in education in a very deprived area, and remember such Blairite initiatives as Sure Start and Every Child Matters making a huge and positive difference. The academy system did, I think, start then, but was nothing like the disgraceful gravy train it has since become for some academy trusts. We had guidelines relating to keeping uniform costs down, community support officers who built up a rapport with pupils and parents and made a massive difference in the area, funding for experiences for the children that they would never otherwise have had, proper training for admin staff so that they could take over premises and financial tasks and let senior teaching staff focus on teaching. Funding for teaching assistants, for a music specialist.

It actually felt as though the government cared for those children living in poverty and that genuine attempts were being made to give them a better chance of a decent life. I wonder what the legacy of this current government will be?