Tony Blair apologises for Foot & Mouth disaster...

...for wasting billions on an NHS IT system that is billions over budget... for failing to reform welfare... for allowing Gordon Brown to impose a record tax burden... for presiding over massive family breakdown... for failing to build enough prisons to stem Britain's rising violent crime... for incompetence in Iraq... for surrendering to Sinn Fein... for ignoring moderate Muslim leaders in Britain... for releasing 1,000 foreign prisoners... for the Millennium Done...

Our Prime Minister has not, of course, apologised for any of the above but he has expressed deep regret for the slave trade.  It's about time he took responsibility for his own record.

Comments

[Sean Fear]

Quasi apologies for things that they weren't responsible for are very popular with Western politicians. It's an easy way for them to feel virtuous.

[sjm]

One hopes that Blair's 'deep regret' will be matched by a similar statement from the descendants of those African tribes that co-operated so enthusiastically with the slave traders.

And by the North African slave traders operating today - I trust our beloved PM will be taking action soon to remove them from our world?

[big john]

Does the man not realise that whilst slavery goes back to biblical times, it was the British who banned the trade. 25th March 2007 is the 200th anniversary of the Act. Emancipation followed.

[Geoff]

How soon before Labour appoint at Minister For Just Saying Sorry For Things?

Boris would be the obvious Shadow Minister.

In the spirit of reconciliation, why don't we start renaming our towns and cities with their old Roman names too? After all, if it is confusing enough to remember that the cricket is really in Madras, Calcutta or Bombay then I'm quite happy for our European enemies to be confused when flying into Eboracum International Airport.

Personally I would like to extend my apologies to the Germans for 1918, 1945 and 1966. I'm very very sorry.

[bee]

Of course, the West is making vigorous representations about the common treatment by Saudis of their maids as slaves:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/012947.php

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=61865&d=10&m=4&y=2005

Oh wait, no, we don't mention that, and actually are busy apologising for daring to suggest that such slavery was wrong, and the King of Saudi Arabia is 'aggressively questioning' why action was taken against this.

http://ummahnewslinks.com/2006/11/21/john-suthers-returns-from-saudi-arabia.aspx

Unfortunately gestures like this, plus Labour's foolish Human Rights Act, which makes a joke of real human rights problems in the world, undermine the massive abuses taking place in certain countries and cultures. Of course, political correctness forfends any criticism of this, as obviously to criticise such evil behaviour would be racist in the eyes of the left.

[The Laughing Cavalier]

It is a pity that you didn't mention Blair's most egregious actions which have been expressed in his sustained and vicious assault on our civil liberties.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

Did anyone hear the hapless Lammy, coincidentally my MP, this morning on the Today programme?

[wasp]

Can I please take this opportunity to apologise for the Black Death

[Geoff]

I would like to officially apologise for the extinction of the dodo.

[Michael Rutherford]

I hate this way of interpreting history. It is a complete waste of time to pretend you can use modern standards to judge things that happened hundreds of years ago.

It would be foolish to interpret what we think today with the perspective of standards of decency, rights and beliefs from two hundred years time.

[sjm]

I thought it woz rats that were responsible for the Black Death, not Wasps? But I'd like you to apologize for the nests your relatives created in my previous house 25 years ago, please.

[Geoff]

Could someone please apologise for the fact that when Romans threw Christians to the lions it wasn't multi-faith or cross-denominational participation. British Airways would not approve.

There are also moles in my garden. I am not happy.

[Praguetory]

To everyone who has suffered incompetence, hypocrisy, corruption, heavy-handedness and personal tragedy over the last 9 years I'd like to apologise for Tony Blair. No, no, it really is mainly my fault.

[Michael Rutherford]

Loving Praguetory's post!

[Serf]

Unlike the left, which believes that slavery is bad because it is racist, the real evil in slavery is the complete lack of freedom suffered by each individual.

Given that Tony Blair is of the opinion that freedom is a good thing (else he would not be apologising) could he do us the courtesy of giving up his crusade against our own freedoms.

End to trial by Jury, end of the right to silence, detainment without trial, DNA databases, the childrens' database, 25% of the world's CCTV, Restrictions on free speech (religious hatred), overruling of Parliament and the latest bugging us on the street.

Tony if you think that setting the slaves free was the right thing to do, then do the same for us.

[Anti-Racist]

Have you got a rather special problem with David Lammy, Justin?

[Geoff]

Have you got a rather special problem with David Lammy, Justin?

He is Justin's MP which gives him a better insight than most of us into why he is spectacularly incompetent.

Are you implying that Justin is racist? If so then say it.

I object to the current political correctness that dictates we can't say that he is a useless idiot just because he is black. Go away and troll somewhere else.

[Michael McGowan]

Sorry, Geoff, aren't you missing the point? In the land of the politically correct, only white people are ever racist and they are invariably so, however much they try to conceal it. Therefore, ANY criticism of David Lammy must of course be racist. In fact, the language of the left is the same as that of medieval inquisitors: the more that the accused denies being racist/a heretic (delete as appropriate), the more guilty they must be of racism/heresy (delete again as appropriate).

[Donal Blaney]

The slave trade was not simply about white Europeans exploiting black Africans. There were a number of raids on England right up until the 19th century which saw white Englishmen and women captured and sold into slavery by those of other nationalities and colours - but of course mentioning that ruins the whole story really...

[Robert McIlveen]

It demonstrates Blair's total lack of historical accuracy - along a similarly wishful line as "we went to war in 1939 becasue of the Holocaust" and "B ismarck was wrong" (with regards to the Balkans. I know who I'd rather have on my side in a war).

[Phil Jackson]

There were a number of raids on England right up until the 19th century which saw white Englishmen and women captured and sold into slavery by those of other nationalities and colours

Indeed, there were large numbers of raids on the English, Irish and European coasts by Islamic slavers over a period of several centuries and these events are well documented. A good introduction is to found in Giles Milton's account of the life of Thomas Pellow:

"White Gold: The Extraordinary Story of Thomas Pellow and Islam's One Million White Slaves"

Extracts:

“By the end of the dreadful summer of 1625, the mayor of Plymouth reckoned that 1,000 skiffs had been destroyed, and a similar number of villagers carried off into slavery”], southern Ireland [p.16, “In 1631 […] 200 Islamic soldiers […] sailed to the village of Baltimore, storming ashore with swords drawn and catching the villagers totally by surprise. [They] carried off 237 men, women, and children and took them to Algiers […] The French padre Pierre Dan was in the city (Algiers) at the time […] He witnessed the sale of the captives in the slave auction. ‘It was a pitiful sight to see them exposed in the market […] Women were separated from their husbands and the children from their fathers […] on one side a husband was sold; on the other his wife; and her daughter was torn from her arms without the hope that they’d ever see each other again’.”],

[Og]

It is axiomatic that someone who gives himself the pseudonym "anti-racist" is less blind to colour than those he seeks to denigrate.

I had assumed that with the name David Lammy, he must be Welsh. Now you tell me he is a black London MP. Perhaps he is Welsh nevertheless. Certainly he is useless.

[Jon White]

I hope that France will apologise for invading us in 1066.

I'd like to apologise for us liberating them in 1944/5.

[Sally Roberts]

"Could someone please apologise for the fact that when Romans threw Christians to the lions it wasn't multi-faith or cross-denominational participation"

I'm afraid that I will have to apologise to the Christians, coz my maiden name was Lion - so it must have been my ancestors wot ate 'em!!!!

[Sean Fear]

Comparing the average incomes of Black Americans, and Black British people from the West Indies, with the average incomes of Black Africans, suggests that the former should be rather relieved that their ancestors were sold into slavery.

[Og]

Bet you are regretting that embarrassing post already, Sean.

[bee]

Indeed. Mr. Fear should take a trip to some poorer countries, and would quickly learn that those living in the West, despite their higher nominal incomes, seem to laugh a lot less, and generally be more miserable than those living in many poor countries.

So it's difficult to see that the average Black person in USA say, is happier than the average Black person in Africa.

And this is quite besides the rather questionable claim assertion that they should be grateful for having been enslaved. Hmmm. Will the Tories in Westminster being distributing that slogan to non-white households?

[Sean Fear]

I never said they should be *grateful* Bee.

Merely that it is a matter of fact that life in the USA/UK is vastly preferable to life in most of sub-saharan Africa.

[Sean Fear]

"So it's difficult to see that the average Black person in USA say, is happier than the average Black person in Africa."

Given that people tend to vote with their feet, by moving from Africa to the USA and other Western countries, rather than in the reverse direction, I'd say that it's not very difficult to see.

[Burkean]

Someone needs to send Mr Blair this gift from economist Walter Williams.

[Justin Hinchcliffe]

"Anti-Racist": Get a life and don't post on here again.

[Tory Loyalist]

Indeed. Mr. Fear should take a trip to some poorer countries, and would quickly learn that those living in the West, despite their higher nominal incomes, seem to laugh a lot less, and generally be more miserable than those living in many poor countries.
__________________________________________________________

Yes I'll bet life's a real bundle of laughs in Darfur and other parts of Africa where inncocent human beings are being starved, tortured, murdered and enslaved by their fellow Africans. You've visited those places, have you Bee?

We should indeed be celebarating - not apologising for - the work of that great Christian Tory William Wilberforce in bringing to an end the abomination of slavery throughout the British Empire.

It's something to be proud of, not ashamed.

[Cllr Green (rep-Kent]

but here's the difference between Islam and the West...We've stopped our slavery over 150 years ago, and they've still got theirs!!

[Sean Fear]

Quite so, TL. Slavery has been practised by all nations. Happily, we were one of the first to conclude it was wrong.

[Tory Loyalist]

Interestingly, the first European nation to abolish slavery (by Royal edict) was Denmark, then an absolute monarchy.

The edict was issued by the Danish Regent on 16 March 1792, and in came into effect on 1 January 1803.

[Ted]

England never had to abolish slavery as it has never been legal in England: Lord Mansfield 22nd June 1772 "The state of slavery is of such a nature, that it is incapable of being introduced on any reasons, moral or political; but only positive law, which preserves its force long after the reasons, occasion, and time itself from whence it was created, is erased from memory: it's so odious, that nothing can be suffered to support it, but positive law."

The odious trade is a blot in the history of the British Empire the needs to be recognised just as the actions of those various people of conscience throughout the 18th and into 19th century is a matter of pride. The British nearly two centuries ago recognised their fault and through their actions, particularly the actions of the Royal Navy, took positive action to remove the scourge of this trade from Africa.

I grew up in a town which still had at its centre the Slave Tree at which Arab slavers held their captives (from conquest not purchase) and the actions of David Livingstone and his British successors activities in driving this trade out were recognised.

Blair cannot apologise for something he had no control over, but in recognising and expressing regret that our nation played a significant role in slavery we can also celebrate in pride our more significant role in destroying the worldwide trade.

[James Maskell]

This thread has become Internet Confessional!

[uda strydom]

How about apologising for chronic foot-in-mouth disease caused by his wife

[John Irvine]

The only European countries which weren't involved in the slave trade were those that didn't have some sort of overseas tropical empire eg the German states and Russia.

It was something which was simply taken for granted at the time, just like witchburning and the persecution of Christians in earlier ages.

I can't see any point whatsoever in these ritual "apologies". Both the people who are due the apologies and those who should be apologising have been dead for generations.

[Opinicus]

All good points but...

Why does this rather obvious political point-scoring have to be made by our distinguished editor whilst the over-paid and useless back and front benches of the party remain silent as the sphinx.

If Cameron wants to put some talent on the benches he could get every sitting MP to re-go selection under the current rules, including himself.

[Tory Loyalist]

I must correct my earlier post.

Denmark was first to abolish the slave trade. As in the British Empire, the abolition of slavery in Danish colonies took place years later.

Mansfield's decision in (I think) Somersett's Case was a ringing one, although apparently at odds with his general outlook. Was not Mansfield involved in the appalling "Zong" decision, or am I confusing him with another judge?

We Tories are fortunate in that the great slaveowners allied themselves with the then all-powerful Whig faction, so that those Tories who took any leading part in the anti-slavery debate tended to be abolitionists.

Johnson and Wilberforce, both of whom were in modern parlance "right wing" on other issues, are the most prominent names that come to mind.

[TomTom]

Tony Blair apologises for Foot In Mouth disaster...

If only his Ministers would follow his example !

[ToMTom]

were those that didn't have some sort of overseas tropical empire eg the German states and Russia.

Russia had Serfdom - it didn't need any other slaves............Austria-Hungary had the robot and didn't need any other slaves

I do not know why Blair is apologising for Britain abolishing Slavery........is this to placate Saudi-Arabia over the SFO investigation, so they can continue to bring their slaves to London ?

[wasp]

It would have been far more useful if Blair had spoken out about indentured servitude going on across the world today.

[Michael McGowan]

Yes, wasp. Of course it would but the problem is that the modern equivalents of serfdom, slavery and the creation of groups of people regarded as "untermenschen" seem to be rather too prevalent in the Islamic world and Sub-Saharan Africa. So you won't hear Blair, Livingstone, Cherie and all the other cultural Marxists talking about those sorts of things.

After all, they are only following in the footsteps of George Bernard Shaw and the Webbs who visited Stalin's Russia - a society built on the most appalling slavery - and pronounced themselves very happy with what they saw. Isn't it time that the right in this country started publicising the fact that several of the founders of the Labour Party were on a moral par with David Irving and Oswald Mosley?

[TomTom]

As I recall Mosley was first a Conservative, then switched to Labour where he could have been a brilliant leader had he been patient; then after being outflanked by MacDonald he went off to form The New Party.............

[Tory Loyalist]

That's correct and it's interesting that Mosley was very much on the left wing of the Tory Party.

Against the prevailing party view Mosley showed sympathy with Irish republicanism (that never changed throughout his political metamorphoses) and spoke out against General Dyer's actions at Amritsar, at a time when Dyer enjoyed enormous support within the party.

If Mosley were a Tory today he would be a fully paid up Cameroon.

[The jabberwock]

How about a "Not in my name" website? What arrogance! How dare Bliar presume to 'apologise' on my behalf for something that (as far as I am aware) none of my forebears were involved in?

Trevor Phillips and others like him have spent the last 9 years making a nice little earner out of the pseudo-religion of 'equality', 'diversity' and 'multiculturalism'. Now he has the nerve to tell us what we have been saying in private for years - that it has backfired badly.

When he and all the other ex-multicultis pay back all the money they have made since joining the race-relations gravy train, I'll think about apologising. Until then, think on.