A petition calling for Tony Blair to be stripped of an honour has hit one million signatures.

The former prime minister was appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter by the Queen last week, the most senior knighthood in the British system.

Sir Tony described the news as an ‘immense honour’ but the response from the public has been split.

The ex-Labour leader remains a divisive figure, primarily for his decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq.

A years-long investigation into the circumstances around the war found crucial intelligence on weapons of mass destruction was ‘presented with a certainty that was not justified’.

The 2016 Chilcot Inquiry also said military force was deployed before diplomatic options had been exhausted, a damning finding which Sir Tony disputes.

A Change.org petition was set up by Angus Scott, a voice over artist from Norfolk, and has gained huge traction online.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘Although I knew deep down in this country there is a huge, seething resentment of Tony Blair, I only expected a few thousand signatures from people who felt the same way as me. 

‘When he was prime minister, he hoodwinked a lot of people to vote for him but now we can analyse his legacy with 14 years of hindsight and can see everything he did, bar a few exceptions, has turned out to be fundamentally flawed and disastrous for this country.

‘As time has unfolded, more and more people have realised this man and his policies are toxic, and that’s why so many have signed the petition.’

Sir Tony won three general elections and was a potent political force, enjoying huge popularity during the early stages of his tenure.

But he was a highly controversial figure by the time he left Downing Street in 2007, despite having won an election just two years earlier.

A 2021 YouGov poll found Sir Tony was disliked by 57% of respondents and liked by just 22%.

The man trying to emulate his success, Sir Keir Starmer, defended the honour, saying: ‘Tony Blair changed the lives of millions of people for the better.

‘He introduced a minimum wage, he set up Sure Start for young families that changed lives, put money into hospitals and into schools and of course was a key player in the peace agreement in Northern Ireland.’

Appointments to the Garter are in the Queen’s gift and made without prime ministerial advice, and are usually announced on St George’s Day, April 23, but she can do so at any time, and has chosen this one to coincide with the New Year Honours.

Liberal Democrat leader said it was ‘disrespectful’ to the Queen to question the appointment. 

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