Ex-PM Tony Blair defies bereaved families by attending Afghanistan tribute
TONY BLAIR today defied the families of some of Britain's war dead by attending a service to commemorate soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
The former prime minister had faced anger from the relatives of soldiers killed in the 13-year-long war, after it emerged he had been invited to attend the tribute at St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London.
Relatives of some of those who died during the conflict questioned why Mr Blair had received an invite at all.
However, the ex-Labour leader, who took Britain to war in 2001, was pictured this morning arriving at the ceremony.
Bereaved families complained that fewer than half of the 2,000 places at today's event in central London have been given to the families of the 453 war dead.
**CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMAGES FROM THE SERVICE OF COMMEMORATION**
He would have some cheek going - he took the country to war, and cost all of those lives and he’s got blood on his hands
Mr Blair will join fellow former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, who was Chancellor when Britain launched operations in Afghanistan, as well as the Queen, her husband The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
Speaking prior to today's event, Bob Wright, 68, whose son Corporal Mark Wright was killed in an unmarked minefield in September 2006, said Mr Blair was "the last person I would want to see".
He added: "He would have some cheek going - he took the country to war, and cost all of those lives and he’s got blood on his hands."
Separately, the Mr Blair admitted he had not foreseen how long the struggle would last after British troops were sent to the region in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks on New York City in 2001.
