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Should Tony Blair receive a knighthood.?

(68 Posts)
mrsmopp Sun 03-Jan-21 16:18:57

It is usual for a Prime Minister to receive knighthood after their term in office. But Tony Blair was not awarded one because the Queen did not allow it. The reason was due to the way Tony Blair handled the arrangements for Diana’s funeral.
The result has been that subsequent Prime Ministers have also been denied a knighthood because a precedent has been set.
Is the Queen being unreasonable or did she make the right decision?

kittylester Sun 03-Jan-21 16:21:02

Do you know what aspect of the funeral?

Lucretzia Sun 03-Jan-21 16:24:47

Was it not because he revealed private conversations that he'd had with her? In his book of his memoirs.

Not sure

I suppose it's up to her

Millie22 Sun 03-Jan-21 16:24:49

I would say no definitely not but that's because of the Iraq war.

GrandmaJan Sun 03-Jan-21 16:29:32

I would say definitely not and agree with Millie it should be because of the Iraq war rather than Diana’s funeral. I read that other previous Prime Ministers couldn’t be knighted because Blair hasn’t been but surely you receive any award on merit.

Smileless2012 Sun 03-Jan-21 16:36:13

I never knew that mrsmopp but at the time did think TB not being at William and Kate's wedding, despite other former PM's being invited was intended deliberately vindictive.

Yes IMO she was being unreasonable if that was her reason for not awarding him a knighthood. If not for Blair's intervention and strongly 'advising' the Queen to leave Balmoral and return to London, had she left it any longer she may well have received a hostile reception from the public, in conjunction with the one she was already receiving at the hands of the media.

Diana's funeral may not have been what she and other members of the royal family wanted, but it certainly seemed to be what the public in general wanted.

She miss read the mood of the public and underestimated Diana's popularity and if up to the time of Blair it had been usual for a PM to receive a knighthood after their term in office, the Queen's refusal to do was personal. Instead of resenting the part he played in the days following Diana's death, she should have thanked him.

Jane10 Sun 03-Jan-21 16:38:26

Is the Queen so petty and vindictive? Did he not refuse one on principle?
Is Bercow still whining about not getting a knighthood?

PollyDolly Sun 03-Jan-21 16:40:19

Don't know......don't care.......but why should he?

Chewbacca Sun 03-Jan-21 16:41:49

He should have been given a jail sentence never mind a knighthood imo.

Lucretzia Sun 03-Jan-21 16:42:56

If not for Blair's intervention and strongly 'advising' the Queen to leave Balmoral and return to London, had she left it any longer she may well have received a hostile reception from the public, in conjunction with the one she was already receiving at the hands of the media.

The Queen was looking after her two grandsons who would have been extremely traumatised about what had happened to their mother. They were safe with her. Away from prying eyes and the media.

How dare Tony Blair tell her what to do.

I'd forgotten what an arrogant little man he was

And scrapping the Royal Yacht wasn't his finest hour either.

Smileless2012 Sun 03-Jan-21 16:49:42

He didn't "tell her what to do" and what's "scrapping the Royal Yacht" got to do with it. It's the role of the PM to advise the monarch and if the Royal Yacht was so important to her, why didn't she take over the financial burden of keeping it herself?

Lucretzia Sun 03-Jan-21 16:56:14

You just said he advised her. Which is telling her what to do.

The Royal Yacht has a lot to do with it, obviously. Which is probably why she's not bothering with any knighthoods for him

At least he had the decency to regret upsetting her.

GrannyGravy13 Sun 03-Jan-21 17:05:04

Taking the UK into an illegal war and consequently responsible for hundreds if not thousands of deaths no way should Tony Blair be knighted!!!!!

Smileless2012 Sun 03-Jan-21 17:06:05

No, advice can be taken or refused; telling someone what to do is not the same thing as advising them.

Lucca Sun 03-Jan-21 17:08:17

In answer to the thread title.....”should anyone ?”

Anniebach Sun 03-Jan-21 17:09:54

And Gordon Brown ?

EllanVannin Sun 03-Jan-21 17:16:29

No. A trial for war crimes would be more appropriate. He was responsible for destroying the safety of this country.

mokryna Sun 03-Jan-21 17:28:02

No, they were paid for the job.
For the upper house I believe that it should be voted on proportional representation.

Iam64 Sun 03-Jan-21 17:28:57

The Iraq war was a disaster as so many members of the general public and a small number of MP's predicted it would be. The anti invasion marches were huge but were ignored. Those of us marching and many who stayed at home, predicted this country would suffer because of that invasion and so we have.
That aside (as if it ever could be) the Blair government achieved Sure Start, improvements in Education, Health, social justice. It wasn't a perfect government but its hard not to compare it with the current gang on incompetents.
I agree with those who say Blair shouldn't be knighted because of the Iraq war.

Calendargirl Sun 03-Jan-21 17:32:14

David Cameron?

Chewbacca Sun 03-Jan-21 18:10:13

David Cameron?

gringringrin Now if there was an award for cowardice, dereliction of duty and bolting as soon as the going got rough...... he'd be perfect for that award.

Missfoodlove Sun 03-Jan-21 18:17:01

The Queen apparently despised his wife as much as him.
He is an odious man with an odious wife.

Chewbacca Sun 03-Jan-21 18:20:23

Yes, it was all rather tacky to disclose that they'd conceived their son whilst staying at Balmoral with the queen, wasn't it? Like... who cares?

Smileless2012 Sun 03-Jan-21 18:24:12

Yes, he'd win that award hands down wouldn't he Chewbacca.

Oopsadaisy1 Sun 03-Jan-21 18:24:16

And, it’s a No from me.