Families snubbed as Blair attends war memorial unveiling
Families of British servicemen and women killed on duty have told of their anger at Tony Blair being invited to a war memorial unveiling
Families of British servicemen and women killed on duty have told of their anger at Tony Blair being invited to a war memorial unveiling.
The Queen is today unveiling a memorial to the 300,000 Britons who served in the first and second Gulf wars and in Afghanistan, of whom 680 lost their lives, the Daily Mail reports.
Blair was prime minister when Britain went into Afghanistan in 2001 and into Iraq in 2003.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
His inclusion on the 2,500-person guest list sparked controversy this week after a number of relatives of fallen soldiers, sailors and airmen said they had not been invited.
It led to a last-minute turn around by the Ministry of Defence, which extended the invitation to any bereaved families who wished to attend the event.
Bob Wright, whose son Corporal Mark Wright, 27, died in Afghanistan in 2006, told the Daily Mail: “Tony Blair is the man that started the ball rolling and we lost a lot of lives needlessly because of him. You would not have expected him to have been invited.”
Today will see the unveiling of the memorial in the Victoria Embankment Gardens in London.
It was designed by artist Paul Day, who also created the bronze statue of a couple embracing at St Pancras railway station.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How can you save on homeowners insurance?
The Explainer With the rise in extreme weather, house protection is a non-negotiable
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
5 spellbinding new books to read in October. Witches and colonization tales included.
The Week Recommends Ta-Nehisi Coates shines a light on Palestine, and Louise Erdrich takes us to North Dakota
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Donald Trump is downplaying his position on abortion
The Explainer He says it's a state issue, but opponents have concerns
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Britain's Labour Party wins in a landslide
Speed Read The Conservatives were unseated after 14 years of rule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Will voter apathy and low turnout blight the election?
Today's Big Question Belief that result is 'foregone conclusion', or that politicians can't be trusted, could exacerbate long-term turnout decline
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published