The controversy over former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s knighthood continues to rage, with MPs recently debating whether he should be stripped of the honor.
According to Express, the debate was sparked by Scottish MP Neale Hanvey, who claimed that newly declassified documents from 1998 show Blair was determined to take military action against Iraq, against explicit legal advice. Hanvey argued that Blair “prosecuted two wars against lawful advice and instruction” and that his knighthood “should be withdrawn forthwith.”
Blair was awarded the Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in January 2022. But the honor has provoked intense criticism from anti-war campaigners, opposition MPs, and the wider public. An online petition demanding Blair be stripped of his knighthood has now gained over 1 million signatures.
In the House of Commons debate, Hanvey highlighted passages from the declassified documents which suggested lawyers warned military action would break international law.
“These documents show Tony Blair dismissed legal objections to his 1998 bombing campaign, this was a direct precursor to his stance over the invasion of Iraq five years later in 2003 which also was deemed illegal,” Hanvey told fellow MPs.
He claimed that in both 1998 and 2003, Blair received and ignored legal advice that military action was unlawful. Hanvey argued Blair then misled Parliament about the legal justification for war.
“Blair pressed officials, in particular the attorney general, to provide legal justification for the use of force. He received none, but he did it anyway,” Hanvey said.
Fellow MPs echoed Hanvey’s call for Blair to lose his knighthood. Alba Party MP Kenny MacAskill said the honor “brings the whole system of honors into disrepute.” Meanwhile, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the knighthood was “an insult to the millions of people who protested against the Iraq War.”
However, some MPs came to Blair’s defense. Conservative MP Marco Longhi said “Tony Blair has given great service to this nation” and claimed much criticism of the Iraq War comes from “those who envy his many achievements.”
Defenders of Blair’s knighthood highlight his domestic achievements as prime minister, including introducing a national minimum wage, securing the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, and significantly increasing investment in health and education. They argue these achievements should not be overshadowed by the controversy around Iraq.
But a YouGov poll found 63% of Britons oppose Blair being knighted. The petition to strip his honor continues gaining support.
Blair has not commented on the knighthood controversy. The decision whether to withdraw honors lies not with Parliament or petitions but with the Honours Forfeiture Committee. While symbolic, parliamentary votes and public pressure hold little sway over this obscure and secretive body.
The committee has only ever recommended withdrawing two knighthoods – for dictators Nicolae Ceausescu and Robert Mugabe. Despite ongoing calls, it has declined to strip honors from controversial business leaders like Philip Green or disgraced entertainers like Jimmy Savile.
So while the public furore continues, it remains unlikely Blair will forfeit his knighthood over Iraq. The former PM was aware such an honor would prove controversial. But the depth of public animosity has likely surprised supporters and critics alike.
The knighthood has reopened old wounds over Iraq, which in the eyes of many defines Blair’s legacy. It has also focused attention on deeper debates around accountability for political leaders.
