Was surprised, actually very surprised by some of the reactions to Tony Blair winning GQ’s Philanthropist of the year award!

First because he’s one of us, and by ‘us’ I mean a Briton. GQ is an international publication and a Brit winning what we the British pride ourselves of (selflessly giving and helping those less fortunate than us) should be applauded.

Secondly, Blair’s philanthropy is very visible. A simple Google entry will prove my point. Despite his politics, Tony Blair is a successful British Prime Minister with three general elections wins under his belt. And after ten years as the UK’s PM, he went on to devote his life for public service. He runs three charitable foundations that champion inter-faith dialogue, development in Africa and sport in the north-east of England plus he employs hundreds of people. The former Prime Minister, also advices the Kazakhstan government pro bono, and acts as the representative of the international community in Palestine, also for free. Not to mention he donated the entire proceeds of his biography “A Journey” to charity.

Thirdly and most of all, the Iraq war that we all now think was a big mistake, and it was, was not his call alone. The majority of Britain (via our representatives in the House of Commons) voted for the Iraq war. So to now, in hindsight, call him a killer and a war criminal is simply disingenuous.

I too supported the Iraq War based on knowing what we knew then. Today I feel different but that doesn’t mean I should take my disappointment and dismay on Blair, Bush or my MP.

Don’t know if it’s Social Media and its ready availability or something else? But at times it appears we are becoming a posse prepared to fiercely attack those we disagree with and do it viciously at the drop of a hat. And we do it, without any sensibilities, letting anger cloud our judgments while happily brush to one side any common sense. It seems somehow, somewhere along the line we stopped ‘feeling human’ and under the cloak of cyberspace turned into blood thirsty hounds with little or no care for decorum, too at ease with becoming aggressive agents of hate ready to let rip in a flash.

It’s uncivilised, unjust and just plain no good.

Tony Blair is human. And like most humans has made mistakes, but he also achieved many selfless deeds. God knows I don’t agree with everything he did or does, but I do agree that he is a great philanthropist and I am happy to applaud and congratulate him for this award and be very proud that he is one of us.

For the record I have a lot of time for Tony Blair and think he was a decent PM, did not always agree with all his ideas – but believed his heart was in the right place – plus being buddies with Bush gave him extra brownie points (big grin)

However, when this weekend, he came up with his bizarre if not fantasist claims that – England’s riots shouldn’t be blamed on ‘moral decline’ – I was a little surprised. More so because he tried to play the “that kind of talk threatens to harm the country’s reputation abroad” card! Doesn’t he own Sky or some cable TV provider – our reputation throughout the riots was being trashed on a 24/7 loop all over the world in hundreds of different languages and dialects – so much so that China asked if London was at all capable of holding the Olympics in under a year’s time! So, again, which riots was he watching!!?

Admitting that he was guilty of similar reaction to the murder of Jamie Bulger in 1993 – was commendable if late – surely he did not just realise he was wrong? But to pretend that Britain today does not have a social problem when the whole world witnessed the London Riots is irresponsible. It’s akin to sweeping and burying bad news, because it gives people false hope and sends the wrong message when neither will help tackle the problem.

Blair said: “following the Bulger case, I made a case in very similar terms to the one being heard today about moral breakdown in Britain. I now believe that speech was good politics but bad policy. Focus on the specific problem and we can begin on a proper solution.” Nice one, but how do we begin a ‘proper solution’ if we don’t properly and accurately identify the problem?

‘Moral Decline’ is harsh – but for many years politicians danced to the tune of publicity, reelections, and popularity mostly at the cost of honesty and facing the harsh realities. That is why it’s refreshing when a politician is unafraid and calls it as it is. Let’s face it, we have a problem and it desperately needs solving. But for that to happen, all of us need to acknowledge and call it what it is – as painful and as ugly as that might be we must all be honest. Pretending it’s something else to avoid ‘being negative’ and ‘not to depress ourselves’ or upset others is not responsible politics. The concern should be more about the urgency needed to rescue those young people who clearly have serious issues with authority, discipline, their purpose and self-worth rather than subtleties.

In closing, there is one thing I do agree with Mr. Blair on – and that’s the police needs to know they have strong support and they need to know that it comes from both the politicians and the public, and would add that they did a brilliant job with almost one hand tied behind their backs just imagine what they can do with both hands.