Wwhy the Blair years will be judged some of the most morally squalid in our history (UK)

[struggle4progress]

Torture, and why the Blair years will be judged some of the most morally squalid in our history
Last updated at 1:52 AM on 28th February 2009

When Tony Blair came to power 12 years ago, he promised to make Britain a better place ...

Most shattering of all, it now looks as if Tony Blair's Government sunk into the moral abyss and collaborated with torture of prisoners.

Again and again ministers - including Tony Blair, former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and former Home Secretary Charles Clarke - have passionately denied all knowledge or involvement in this filthy and illegal practice. Yet, repeatedly, the allegations have resurfaced.

Finally, on Thursday, came the crucial moment in this tawdry affair. Defence Secretary John Hutton addressed the House of Commons and, at last, apologised for his senior colleagues' misleading statements ...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1157710/Torture-Blair-years-judged-morally-squalid-history.html

[LeftishBrit]

1. Just to note here...

that the Daily Mail is not a good or liberal paper. They are attacking Blair and New Labour because they support the Tories, not because they want something more left-wing.

They are worse than the Murdoch papers if possible. They are full of hate-campaigns against immigrants, gays, 'soft' teachers and social workers, Gypsies, single mothers, etc. etc.

I agree that Blair was immoral, a supporter of illegal war and suppression of civil liberties and enabler of financial greed - but in all these respects he was following in the footsteps of the Daily Hate-Mail's heroine Maggie Thatcher.

[struggle4progress]

3. Thanks for this info ...

I probably don't post anything from the Mail more than about once a year, but perhaps I should adopt towards the Mail the same general policy, of not quoting from them at all, that I adopt towards the Telegraph

Since widespread and lasting outrage seems an appropriate response to the whole torture story, I nevertheless wonder whether political opportunities exist, to push for a wider response to the horrors of the Bush years, even if it means temporary alliances with troglodytes

[Jeneral]

2. DFID

Let me say that before the Blair-Bush relationship, before 9-11, the Labour government was a strong moreal force in international development through its agency. If there is one positive side to UK foreign policy, it is that of constructive poverty reduction unlike Bush's USAID and MCA.