EDINBURGH, December 03 (Sputnik), Mark Hirst – The only international recognition former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair should receive is an appearance before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, John Finnie, a Member of the Scottish Parliament told Sputnik Wednesday.
"Many, myself included, consider Tony Blair a war criminal and the only international recognition he should be getting is for his appearance at the Criminal Court in The Hague," Finnie, a member of the Scottish Green Party, said.
"It is perhaps unfortunate in recent years the status of the Nobel Peace Prize has been devalued by people such as Barack Obama receiving it," he added.
Finnie's comments were prompted by speculations that Blair may eventually receive the prestigious peace prize.
Answering a Sputnik question on whether Blair deserved such an award, John McTernan, a former senior adviser to Blair during his period in Government responded bluntly, "Yes".
Rose Gentle, whose son Gordon was killed ten years ago in Iraq whilst serving with the British Army, told Sputnik, "I don't think he should be eligible for a peace prize, definitely not."
"How can that man be considered for a peace prize when you look at what happened in Iraq? What peace has he actually achieved? He went into Iraq and it's just as bad as ever, so where is the peace in that?" Gentle added.
Gentle who founded the campaign group "Military Families Against the War" said she was yet to meet anyone, who would support any honor, being bestowed on Blair and she backed calls for the former Prime Minister to face justice at the International Criminal Court.
"We would like to see Tony Blair face some justice. Obviously I've lost my son and so I think the man [Blair] should be brought before the International Criminal Court for war crimes. If that happened I would myself attend the Court to see Blair face justice," Gentle stated.
Her view was echoed by Finnie who added, that "people would be outraged if a man, who prosecuted an illegal war, which resulted in countless thousands of civilian deaths would be acknowledged in this way."
Last month leading children's charity "Save the Children" faced a storm of protest after it decided to honor Blair with the Global Legacy Award for his work in Africa. 100,000 people subsequently signed a petition calling on the charity to revoke the award.
"It was disgusting that Save the Children did that when you look at the children that have been killed in Iraq. If [Blair] keeps that award I would never give money to that charity again," Gentle told Sputnik.
