SIR Tony Blair ?

Iam you may remember, Michael Foot was a family friend, he was an honest man. The press really stuck the knives in from the day he was elected leader. I campaigned for him, I
didn’t think he would win by the comments I heard, he was seen as an eccentric doddering old man !

Annie Bach, yes I do remember your family friendship with Michael Foot. We have a letter he wrote to us in response to ours commiserating. We sent love to Dizzie his dog, (we are dog people) his letter contained a PS “dizzie sends love”. Some of course may laugh but it confirmed his king humanity to me
You were probably older and wiser than I was at thst election.

My late father knew Michael Foot quite well through his union activities and always said how much he respected him, both as a man and as a politician. We were very touched when, on my father's death, Michael Foot sent a sympathy card with a handwritten note inside it saying how much my father had done for the union and how much he would be missed. It was a lovely gesture and one which meant a great deal to my mother and I.

It sounds like he was a good man

Blondiescot, that sounds typical of the man we ‘knew’ through the LP. I bet Annie has many memories . JaneJudge yes I believe he was a good
Man, as Annie says, put down, made to appear foolish by the press . Same afternoon any labour leader

Iam Dizzie was named after Disraeli, before Dizzie there was
Vanessa.

Michael Foot was never offered it, he was never PM.

No, I know he was never the PM Annie but I'm certain that he was offered a peerage, several times in 2006, and he refused them all. Am I completely wrong on that?

200,000 signed petition three hours ago.

I think Boz is correct about the 'blocking' aspect. I believe there is a certain 'etiquette' that if the outgoing PM doesn't accept the kick upstairs none of the others can be offered it until that PM is offered it or dies. Presumably this vacancy was created by the death of Prince Philip and that's why Blair could be offered it so that Brown, Cameron, May can also be in line for Honours. I wonder if Brown would accept. Perhaps he will be offered the Order of the Thistle. The Order of the Garter is limited in numbers and is a personal gift of the Sovereign. Perhaps the Queen, who saw Blair as PM on a regular basis, knows more about his contribution than others.

Blair was not given this honour because Phillip died, the royals have a separate list , I have checked and I think there is now 21 with the honour

Starmer said 'My congratulations to Tony Blair on this recognition for his public service to our country.

300,000 signed petition

Well said sir Keir Starmer

Yes well said Sir Keir Starmer

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I think it's "thanks for saving the monarchy"" I also suspect that Philip actually disliked Mr Blair and didn't want him to have anything. He was after all closely linked with the forces. Now he's gone Queenie can dish it out without a family row.

Why did John Major wait eight years ?

Well, whatever people think of the Queen she does, obviously, care deeply for this country. And I think she wants someone like Blair in the HOL’s because she knows he has an astute mind. I would imagine she knows him far better than we do. I assume that people who still hate him for the terrible mistake that was Iraq don’t bother to listen to what he says on other subjects.

MayBee70

Well, whatever people think of the Queen she does, obviously, care deeply for this country. And I think she wants someone like Blair in the HOL’s because she knows he has an astute mind. I would imagine she knows him far better than we do. I assume that people who still hate him for the terrible mistake that was Iraq don’t bother to listen to what he says on other subjects.

He won't be in the House of Lords. It's only a knighthood. Knights aren't Peers of the Realm...

Blair said when he stood down he would not sit in the lords

Thanks Maizie. I wasn’t sure about that.

It’s more than a knighthood such as Sir Andy Murray

There’s so much talk about this on social media that I’m beginning to wonder if it’s a way of deflecting people away from how badly the government are doing in the polls at the moment…

It’s already yesterday’s news now though, despite attempts by the more dubious media to whip up a storm.
I predict tomorrow will be overtaken by NHS in crisis and lack of food supplies/transport issues/snow/energy bills stories (delete as applicable), and the Tony furore will be kicked into the long grass.

MayBee70

There’s so much talk about this on social media that I’m beginning to wonder if it’s a way of deflecting people away from how badly the government are doing in the polls at the moment…

Yes

It’s funny how more people seem to be furious about Tony Blair getting a knighthood than care about Tory donors being given peerages and helping govern this country.