Blair’s democracy prize (as he tries to reverse EU vote)
TONY Blair has been given a prestigious US prize for democracy – despite his campaign to overturn the Brexit vote.
The former Labour prime minister was yesterday named as the first British recipient of The Lincoln Leadership Prize.
It honours figures who show ‘great strength of character, individual conscience and unwavering commitment to the defining principles of democracy’ in the spirit of the 16th president of the US.
Yet Mr Blair has been vocal in his desire to overturn the result of the 2016 EU referendum in which millions voted to cut ties with Brussels. He has also earned millions advising anti- democratic despots since leaving Downing Street.
Tory MP Nigel Evans said the former PM had spent much of his time since leaving office advising figures such as the president of Kazakhstan, whose country is accused of human rights abuses. ‘Tony Blair is not a democrat,’ said Mr Evans. ‘He has spent a lot of time advising countries which are total strangers to democracy.’
MP Nadine Dorries added: ‘It is beyond belief that Tony Blair – the man straining every sinew to overturn the votes of millions of people to leave the EU – is now being lauded for his commitment to democracy. I think the Americans should have taken a closer look at his record.’
Award organisers praised Mr Blair’s part in the Northern Ireland peace process, the introduction of civil partnerships and his ‘revitalisation’ of services including education. No mention was made of his controversial decision to commit the UK to war in Iraq in 2003.
The former PM is said to have shared with Lincoln an understanding that leaders have to take decisions ‘that might be unpopular with the public’. Previous winners include Bill Clinton, Steven Spielberg and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.