Sir Tony Blair

 

As is now well known the recent new years honours list included a knighthood for former prime minister Tony Blair. This has caused offence to quite a number of British Citizens, who feel that his record in office was less than glittering. A petition on change.org calls for this honour to be rescinded, and to date has 1,120,148 signatures, including mine. The petition in particular draws attention to the actions of Mr Blair in involving the UK in a number of bloody conflicts, particularly in Iraq.

Mr Blair has obviously been stung by this objection and  is insisting that his legacy is more than just the Iraq war.

It certainly is! Perhaps he thinks the electorate has forgotten what else Mr Blair achieved while in office. Let’s just highlight a few of his achievements.

Prior to 2005 it was illegal in the UK to advertise gambling. It is hard to imagine an activity that contributes less to the nation’s well being than gambling. It produces nothing, and it’s harms are well documented. There is no good reason why this ban should ever have been lifted. But it was, by Tony Blair’s government. One can only speculate as to why this was thought to be a good idea. The gambling industry now spends 1.5 billion pounds a year on advertising and is one of the most profitable industries in Britain. Salaries of 3-4 million pounds a year are not uncommon in CEOs of gambling companies. The supposed protections in the Gambling Act 2005 are totally ineffective. Problem gamblers are known as “VIPs” in gambling companies and are treated as cash cows. A recent case where a gambling addict took his own life has resulted in his widow calling for gambling advertising to be banned.

Yes Tony, quite some legacy.

Prior to 1998 higher education was essentially free. University fees were paid on behalf of students by local education authorities, and students were provided with a small but adequate grant to live on. Although wealthier families were expected to make a contribution many students from working class backgrounds  were funded in full. Pre WW2 poorer youngsters had little chance of affording a university education, but by the 1970s, when DZ was a medical student this barrier was lifted. And then Tony Blair’s government passed the “Teaching and Higher Education act 1998”. This brought in payment of university fees and living expenses by means of loans. The costs involved were initially low enough to justify, but have rocketed, now being 1000% higher than when introduced. This has saddled modern graduates with enormous debts that will affect their living standards for years. Students have become regarded as cash cows, rents and other expenses have soared and higher education is now totally commoditised.

Your legacy Tony.

In 2005 Tony Blair, a committed Europhile, promised the people of the UK a referendum on entry into the EU under the Treaty of Maastricht. It is often forgotten that there was considerable opposition throughout Europe to this idea. Referenda in France and Belgium resulted in rejection, and polls in the UK showed overwhelming antipathy towards the European superstate. Blair’s response was to ignore the polls, renege on his promise of a referendum, and take the UK into the EU under the treaty of Lisbon, knowing full well that the UK population was opposed. Ultimately this objection persisted right up to the Brexit referendum. The chaos that is now Brexit is thus also part of Blair’s legacy.

But not everyone has done badly out of the Blair years. He himself has a net worth estimated at £45,000,000. Not a bad legacy Tony. Funded by problem gamblers, poor students, and anyone who loses out over Brexit. Parasite!