Blair apology to Irishman

[Dom Tuk]

Maybe I have missed it but why the sudden urge to apologise. Why does Mr. Blair choose to apologise at this time especially when the real IRA have caused so much problems with the peace process. Who has been clamouring for the apology. And for a PM who refuses to apologise for his mistakes why is he so keen to apologise for others.

[kempie]

And for a PM who refuses to apologise for his mistakes why is he so keen to apologise for others.

So that people will think he does sometimes apologise he chooses things he has no right to apologise for.

The only person who can apologise for an act is the perpetrator, anything else is just lip-service.

[finex]

I think you're missing the point which was that the apology was directed at peope who are not and never were part of the IRA.

Regardless of what problems the IRA may or may not be causing, it does not change the fact that these people were falsely imprisoned for being terrorists. The facts that have come to light since indicate that this was a complete miscarriage of justice, and that is what the apology was for.

[Miss Zippy]

I don't think he should have apologised, it's blurring the separation of powers between the legislature and the judiciary. Any decent person would feel extreme regret that an innocent person has been wrongly accused of a crime and spent X number of years in jail, but for the PM to apolgise is in appropriate..

[kempie]

To clarify my point, since the present PM or Government had nothing to do with the original case, Mr Blair should only be able to condone or condemn the events not apologise for them.

I have great sympathy for those involved but I do not feel the need to apologise to them.

[eupraxia]

Why on earth is he apologizing anyway.

He wasn't the PM that put them in prison.

Thatcher should be the one doing the apologizing.

But then Tony Blair seems to be making recompence for all of her cockups.