Labour should be proud of Tony Blair’s record in Africa – and we should say so

This week’s attacks on Tony Blair have been the most outrageous yet. Those who disagree with Mr Blair’s decision to go to war in 2003, now use every opportunity or headline to attack his foreign affairs record and discredit his Government. But on this, they’re wrong – and we should say so.

Those who have signed the petition against Blair’s acceptance of the Save the Children award simply cannot do so based on his record for international development, which the award was based on. Blair chaired Gleneagles so masterfully, that the G8 relieved over $100billion of debt and pledged Africa wide access to anti-HIV drugs by 2010. Both saving countless children’s lives.

Blair also made international aid a consensus for British politics and across the G8. His chairmanship enshrined that all G8 countries should commit to 0.7% of GPD to aid by 2015. Because of Tony Blair, this target is now endorsed by every major party leader, meaning that for generations to come lives have been saved, and African poverty reduced, because of Labour. Public policy only ever stands the test of time if it becomes the consensus – and on helping the third world, Blair has passed that test remarkably.

By failing to stand up for Blair’s global achievements, we’ve not only allowed him to be damaged, we’ve allowed Labour’s record to be damaged. Blair’s achievements on international development and saving children’s lives, are one’s that when attacked Labour should defend and champion. When we allow Blair’s – and ultimately Labour’s record – in Government to be attacked in this way, we allow those that do so to damage a consensus that is vital for Labour to protect the worlds’ poorest.

Over the last five years, we’ve allowed Labour’s record in Government to be called out and attacked and offered little in retort. At a time when David Cameron’s inability to control his own backbenchers means that Britain fails to fulfil our responsibilities in the world, only Labour can prove that our energies and resources protected the world’s most vulnerable. Across Africa, that’s exactly what Tony Blair and Labour is recognised as doing. For those most desperate children in the world, Labour should be proud of what our movement achieved, what Tony Blair did as Prime Minister and the lives we saved. Save the Children were right to acknowledge Tony Blair – and, in time, so should Labour and the country.