Tony Blair, Peace Envoy…

That's right Grantanow, his majority was reduced but he did win a third term.

Yes sure start was very successful for many families that I worked with.

Sure Start, the Children Act, working together and decent guidance for multi agency work with vulnerable families all excellent

Along comes Cameron to dismantle it all

Happy to see the tone is changing a little here. I always considered Blair to be Thatcher's child but his governments were very successful in bringing lots of positive change for ordinary people.

The point about heroes and villains is well
Made. It’s reminiscent of when women were seen as whores or Madonna’s

Blair was always disliked by the left, just as they dislike Starmer. He was wrong about Iraq but his governments did many positive things

keepingquiet

Blair didn't cover himself in glory over Iraq by any means. However, no one has yet referred to his success in bringing about the Good Friday agreement and securing peace in NI.

Maybe that's one of the reasons he's involved here?

Good point KeepingQuiet.

Invaluable experience of dealing with intransigeance on both sides and practical stuff like getting long-warring entities to disarm effectively and possibly safely.
I don't think motive matters only that things get done effectively.

Blair is competent unlike some recent PMs. Iraq has been held against him by the Left but I recall he easily won his third General Election AFTER Iraq.

It’s not a black and white situation with Tony Blair, he had some major successes and some major failures. This article is interesting, in that it shows the influence he had in Eastern Europe, which was very different to the mistakes he made with Iraq.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/tony-blair-gaza-peace-plan-kosovo-trump-b2843061.html

For me, it still comes back to whether those with direct influence on determining how the peace process will work view his abilities compared with other candidates, not what we, with our limited knowledge and understanding of the process, think.

keepingquiet

Blair didn't cover himself in glory over Iraq by any means. However, no one has yet referred to his success in bringing about the Good Friday agreement and securing peace in NI.

Maybe that's one of the reasons he's involved here?

Not on this thread but I’m constantly banging on about the good things that Blair did which have been totally overshadowed by the disaster that was Iraq. He has an astute political mind and is imo one of the greatest politicians this country has ever had. Ok, so he has made a lot of money since being in office but, unlike Johnson and Truss has also worked tirelessly on good causes too ( probably as a way of trying to make amends in some way for Iraq, something that must haunt him).

Galaxy

It might help if we stop having this idea of heroes and villians, human beings are rarely that straightforward.

For some reason in this country we expect our heroes to be nice guys, squeaky clean. Especially sporting heroes, even though you must need quite a ruthless streak to succeed at the highest level.

eazybee

I agree with your post, Granny Gravy. I do not trust Blair at all, never have, and as for bringing an end to the Troubles, I remember the 'Comfort Letters ' which were part of the deal that nobody (apart from those who received them) knew about.
I class him with Lord Hermer and Mandelson; what is in it for me.

Ten out of ten

Blair was, and still a grade.one creep.

He does not have an ounce of integrity in his whole body

It might help if we stop having this idea of heroes and villians, human beings are rarely that straightforward.

Blair didn't cover himself in glory over Iraq by any means. However, no one has yet referred to his success in bringing about the Good Friday agreement and securing peace in NI.

Maybe that's one of the reasons he's involved here?

You and me both.

Can't abide the man!

mabon2

Why the dickens is Tony Bair, the war monger included in this panel.

Time to read up on how mabon.
www.timesofisrael.com/revealed-tony-blairs-us-backed-proposal-for-ending-the-gaza-war-and-replacing-hamas/

Why the dickens is Tony Bair, the war monger included in this panel.

Babamaman

Maybe to make it really controversial haveBoris Johnson & Tony Blair together in sorting stuff out!?

Boris Johnson? You are surely joking? The one who was photographed returning from a party given by a Russian oligarch hung over and dishevelled when he was ( I believe, happy to be corrected) foreign secretary. The man who managed to (imo) destroy the Conservative Party.

Maybe to make it really controversial haveBoris Johnson & Tony Blair together in sorting stuff out!?

Galaxy, I welcome your reflective comments about Trump and Blair. I’d prefer a world when the good people were good and the baddies had horns and tails. Leaders of big organisations are often mixed blessings yet they get things done, to the benefit of the organisation they run
Political leaders seem similar. They have huge self belief that takes them into power, they aren’t perfect, don’t please all of the people all of the time.

It’s early days and none of us belief this tentative peace is rock solid . I dislike Trump but he’s managed to persuade or bully an unlikely alliance. Well done that ego driven man

I agree with your feelings about Tony Blair Galaxy.

I have quite complicated feelings about Blair, I would say my views are now on their third rotation in terms of changing my mind. I think he did some amazing things but also introduced changes which have had unexpected consequences.
I don't think I object to his involvement. I may be alone in thinking that only someone like Trump could have achieved this peace deal ( if it holds), I think therefore we need people who aren't your usual politician, I suspect Blair may fit into that category.

Whitewavemark2

Well the PA have accepted him and they are the only legitimate representatives of the Palestinians at the moment.

They might be the only legitimate representatives of Palestine but the countries who signed the declaration recognising Palestine as a state stipulated the wholesale reform of the PA.

I agree with your post, Granny Gravy. I do not trust Blair at all, never have, and as for bringing an end to the Troubles, I remember the 'Comfort Letters ' which were part of the deal that nobody (apart from those who received them) knew about.
I class him with Lord Hermer and Mandelson; what is in it for me.

But let's hope and pray that this peace can grow absolutely Iam and that those best placed to make this happen are in a position to do so.