Blair's Donation

Today it was announced that ex-PM Tony Blair is to give all the money from the sales of his new autobiography to the British Legion to help in the provision of extra facilities for helping seriously disabled ex-servicemen, injured in war - particularly Iraq and Afghanistan. Quite rightly, the British Legion has welcomed the donation, since they need every penny they can get to help in their rehabilitation efforts and Blair owes them. The donation is expected to be about £4 million. The donation has not been universally welcomed and it is not too difficult to understand why. It is impossible to expect of Blair that he does anything for honourable reasons or human decency. And I feel that this is no exception. Blair is now a rich man. He has made much money since he ended his time as PM. Is he now being troubled by his conscience? Does he now realise that both Iraq and Afghanistan were disasters of the first order and he has a total responsibility for sending our troops into both of these conflicts to be killed and maimed. It is one thing to have soldiers fighting for honourable causes but fighting for the wrong reasons and on the basis of lies is another. Blair should have adopted the Wilson approach of giving America the fullest support - short of actually doing anything. Does Blair fear that he will be remembered for little more than Iraq and Afghanistan and wants to help his image? Is he afraid that nobody will buy his book and wants to give it a bit of spin to encourage us to buy it and give money to the British Legion? No, if I am to give money to the British Legion, I will give it direct; not through Blair's book. One man has already described Blair's gesture as Blood money. He may well have a point. Blair is still an obnoxious little man, an apology for a Prime Minister and the sooner he disappears into oblivion the better.

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