Norman Baker, an ex-minister and critic of the honours system, said: 'Awards should be given on merit and based on public opinion.'īut Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'The last Labour government delivered enduring change from the national minimum wage to the peace process in Northern Ireland. On Monday evening, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage told MailOnline that the row over Sir Tony's knighthood added 'more pressure' on the beleaguered Boris Johnson, who has faced intense criticism in recent weeks over the Downing Street party scandal and the rebellion by Tory MPs against coronavirus Plan B measures. One group, Veterans and Supporters UK, told followers to sign after sharing an article saying: 'Traitorous Tony Blair really is untouchable'.
Veterans' groups online urged former soldiers to sign the petition, sharing mocked-up photos of Sir Tony with the words 'killer' or 'traitor' on his forehead. The system needs to change so that decisions like this can be questioned.' 'He was handing out letters of comfort to IRA terrorists on an industrial scale while deliberately excluding any protection to our soldiers. Paul Young, 71, who toured Northern Ireland with the Household Cavalry between 19, said: 'This is a huge insult to our community – Tony Blair is despised by us following the Good Friday Agreement. He added: We've known for a while that there's a problem with the system, now it's clear it needs a total overhaul.' If you speak to the average man in the street and ask them if they want Tony Blair to be a knight of the realm they will say no way. It shows that the honours system is broken from top to bottom. 'I am enraged that a man could be knighted for conning his country into war. 'Soldiers will be turning in their graves over this,' said the 69-year-old from Llanbedr in North Wales.
Reg Keys, whose 20-year-old son Lance Corporal Tom Keys was killed in Iraq in 2003, led calls to review the knighthood. Similar petitions on Parliament's official website have been denied for the same reason. However it will not be debated by MPs because honours are a matter for the Queen and not ministers. The three-day-old petition on has grown at a near record rate to 534,000 signatures. Soldiers are outraged that the former prime minister received the top gong after leading the UK into Iraq and signing a deal pardoning IRA terrorists while British soldiers faced charges.įamilies of those killed in the war against Saddam Hussein branded Sir Tony, 68, a 'war criminal' and a 'liar' and called for politicians to overturn the decision. The Queen previously signalled her support for the Prince by arriving with him for the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service in March.Furious veterans last night called for the honours system to be overhauled as a petition demanding Tony Blair be stripped of his knighthood hit half a million.
The decision not to take part publicly in Garter Day for Prince Andrew, whose reputation has been severely tarnished by his involvement in a civil case in which Virginia Giuffre accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17, is understood to have been a “family decision”. Reports over the weekend suggested that he wanted to return to his royal duties and was set to appear in public for the first time in months after missing the Platinum Jubilee after contracting Covid-19.īut Buckingham Palace confirmed today that the Duke of York will only be attending a behind-the-scenes lunch and investiture ceremony.Ī Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Duke of York will attend the investiture and lunch today but will not be part of the procession or service.” Baroness Valerie Amos walks alongside Sir Tony in the procession (Photo: Ben Stansall/AP) Huge crowds turned out to watch the procession outside Windsor Castle (Photo: Matt Dunham, AP) The Duke of York has been banned from returning to a public-facing role at the Garter Day service in Windsor following reports of an intervention from his family. Prince William walked next to his uncle, Prince Edward, while Prince Andrew was notably absent.
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