An online petition calling for former Prime Minister (PM) Tony Blair’s knighthood to be taken back has already gathered over 700,000 signatures, four days after he was made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year’s honours list.
The list also included chief medical adviser Chris Whitty, who led Britain’s fight against COVID-19. Unlike the New Year’s honours list, the Order of the Garter is a personal gift by the Queen and does not require the incumbent government or the prime minister’s approval.
Blair, a former Labour Party leader, was the British Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007. His major contributions include bringing an end to the conflict in Northern Ireland and expanding LGBTQ rights in the UK. However, he also left behind a scarred legacy for his involvement in the United States (US)-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. The US and the UK invaded the country under the garb of a ‘war on terror’ despite failing to secure the approval of the United Nations.
Blair, alongside erstwhile US President George W. Bush, justified the invasion by claiming that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was in possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), arguing that a failure to act immediately would put the international community in danger. Proof of such weapons has yet to be provided.
In fact, the New York Times reported in 2014 that US troops found around 5,000 abandoned chemical weapons in Iraq from 2004 to 2011. However, the US government kept this secret because weapons were from the pre-Gulf War era and were “filthy, rusty, or corroded” and did not fit the narrative that the Iraqi leader was continuing to use or was still in possession of WMDs.
While the invasion resulted in the ousting and execution of Saddam Hussein, it also forced the country into years of conflict and chaos. The war also created power vacuums that were killed by ISIS and Al Qaeda, pushing millions into danger and forcing many to escape and seek refuge in other countries. The war led to the death of at least 460,000 people, though certain reports suggest the number may be as high as one million.
The UK also reportedly had its own version of the US’ Abhu Ghraib torture facility, where hundreds if not more inmates were starved, deprived of sleep, and tortured by British troops.
According to the petition, Blair was seen as “the least deserving person of any public honour,” accusing him of causing “irreparable damage” to the British Constitution and “to the very fabric of the nation’s society.” Citing his role in war crimes committed in Iraq, the petition said he should be held accountable for his role in the atrocities committed during the war. It claims: “He was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives, and servicemen in various conflicts.”
However, several British leaders have come out to support the Queen’s decision to knight Blair. Labour leader Keir Starmer, whom the Queen has previously knighted, said Blair had “earned” the honour, and despite the diverging views on the Iraq war, he should be celebrated for his success as the country’s prime minister, during which he positively impacted millions of lives. Similarly, Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle, whom the monarch has also knighted, defended Blair as being a worthy recipient of the honour.