Media savages Tony Blair

LONDON - On leaving Downing Street in 2007, Tony Blair famously accused the media of hunting like a "feral beast tearing people and reputations to bits".

He might well have reflected on that statement when he surveyed Wednesday's national Press coverage of the Chilcot report on the Iraq war. The newspapers savaged him and tore what remains of his reputation to bits.

Almost every front page treated the former prime minister to critical headlines, whether sober and straightforward - "Chilcot report into Iraq war delivers harsh verdict on Blair" (Financial Times) - or more colourful and interpretative: "A monster of delusion" (Daily Mail); "Weapon of mass deception" (Sun); "Blair's private war" (Times); "Blair is world's worst terrorist" (Daily Star) and "Spinning on their graves" (Independent).

Several editors picked up on his intransigent stance: "I can't say sorry for Iraq . . . I'd do it again" (Metro); "I'd take the same decision" (Daily Telegraph); "Blair defiant as Chilcot delivers devastating verdict on Iraq war" (Guardian); "Shamed Blair: I'm sorry but I'd do it again" (Daily Express); and "Defiant Blair: I'd invade Iraq again" (i).

And the single line in Blair's memo to George Bush eight months before the invasion --"I will be with you whatever" - featured boldly on the front pages of the Guardian, Telegraph and Daily Mirror.

From that "private promise", said the Guardian, "every abuse of public process would flow, as well as that pervasive, poisonous sense that the government was not playing it straight."