MPs Urge Blair 'To Admit to Mistakes on Iraq'

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The Government should seek to win back public trust by admitting its mistakes over Iraq, Labour MPs urged today. The advice came in a series of “memos” to the Prime Minister in the wake of Labour’s mauling in the local council polls.

Four MPs, David Drew, Ann Cryer, Richard Burden and Kevin Brennan, criticised Government policy in relation to Iraq, Europe and the United States, but none called on Tony Blair to stand down. They instead urged ministers to concentrate on convincing voters that record investment in public services was starting to pay dividends.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World This Weekend, Mr Drew, MP for Stroud, warned: “We lost heavily on Thursday because voters exacted revenge over Iraq and have yet to be persuaded that public service delivery is right. “On the former we have to put our hand up to say that we got it wrong, as much as anything so that we convince the wider electorate that intervention on occasions is appropriate.”

The Government must also persuade voters that huge investment in public services was paying dividends. “This is not as easy as it sounds because until and unless we recover the voters’ trust in what we say this will be difficult to achieve and the legacy of the strength of the economy will count for nothing.” He added: “Don’t also underestimate how unpopular the EU is. We must adopt a slightly more sceptical approach.” Ms Cryer said Britain must stop following US foreign policy. Privatisation of public services must also end.

Mr Burden said voters were angered by the impression that Britain backed US “double standards” in international affairs.The Government should be more assertive in pressing the US to do something about Israel’s actions in Palestine, he added. He further warned that last week’s polls highlighted a “disenchantment with the whole political establishment”.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3059361

[Spazito]

1. Blair will never admit he got it wrong....

regardless of the consequences to his party. He, like bush, thinks everyone else has it wrong.

[KittyWampus]

3. He Really Seems Convinced.

crazy but true :(

[AlCzervik]

4. I think it's possible that you can

convince yourself something is true if you just keep repeating it over and over. thats how so many rumors end up getting reported as fact, it goes through the echo chamber so many times.

[LittleApple81]

2. Disenchangement? How could that be? With honest Blair at the helm?

Really I am very sorry he sold out to Bush. What horrible blunder for Blair, England, Iraq and the world.