Tony Blair does Chilcot: Part 1(?)

So, Blair at Chilcot.

I hate to say this, but what did we expect? A heartfelt apology? Part of me was hoping for it, I'll admit. But, no, there was really no chance.

Watching Mo the last night (biography of Mo Mowlam starring Julie Walters. Absolutely superb, go watch it quick on 4OD while it's still available), I smiled a little when Mo is reminded that although Tony is her "mate" he is also Prime Minister.

And do you know what? He still acts like it.

I just about remember going along with my parents when they went to vote in the 1997 election. Perhaps it's my imagination filling in the blanks, projecting onto the huge masses of people the euphoria I now know swept New Labour to power.

That was a contrast with the Blair I saw at the Chilcot inquiry. His old conviction seemed like conceit. In some of the clips he seemed nervous, almost guilty (yes there was some perverse satisfaction), but later... later he was Tony Blair again, in all his charismatic glory. Except that even someone who's only been formally studying politics for a few months knows that the usual joke cracking and 'everyman smile' cuts no ice in a room where a third of the people present have lost loved ones to an illegal war. It surprised me, but I actually felt betrayed by the Iraq war on a personal level. Quite possibly that's being oversensitive, but if I felt like Blair was being insulting by not quite taking Chilcot seriously.

I meant to write a balanced post actually debating Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq, applying it to the difficult job of balancing leadership and representation, but Tony's demeanour has, quite frankly, pissed me off. Which is totally illogical, because, honestly, what else was he going to do?

Maybe I'll put together something more coherent later on.