Criticism of Tony Blair’s achievements in the peace process unjustified

The Daily Telegraph is a quality daily broadsheet newspaper with a readership of 1.5 million.  The Newspaper has traditionally supported the Conservative Party with almost dog-like devotion.

Notwithstanding the political slant, you do expect distortions of fact to be minimal.  Yesterday, after reading the article by Simon Heffer entitled “Northern Ireland has not been at peace – despite what Labour claims”, I did a wee bit of shaking of the head.   Visitors are recommended to read the article in full.  The following is a short summary.

He starts by questioning the current state of peace in Northern Ireland.  It has always had trouble going back to the time of O’Connell (it is worth mentioning here that O’Connell was a pacifist).  

He compares Gordon Brown’s previous boasts of “no more boom and bust” with Labour’s claim that Northern Ireland now has peace (as if the latter has not been successfully achieved in any way).   He cites the electoral failure by the UUP and the SDLP as if that were the fault of the Labour Government.

He criticises measures such as the Patten Reforms (as if the support of the Nationalilsts for the Police does not matter).  

He suggests that the killers in the recent shootings are mainstream republican with support in the community.  I quote the following passage

“Mr Woodward says these people have no support in the community. Where did he get that idea from? It is like this Government-sponsored term “dissident” to describe the murderers. How can we be so sure? Adams and McGuinness know how mainstream these people are, which is why they tread carefully around their atrocities. “

On this occasion, I think the learned Mr. Heffer has distorted his facts and analysis but perhaps we can have a vote on this.  Please participate in the poll below.