The usual blowhards like Alastair Campbell and James O’Brien like to claim that Boris was the worst Prime Minister of all time. That’s not a view reflected by the public. According to data compiled by Britain Elects and published by the New Statesman, during his premiership Boris never reached the depths of unpopularity reached by most of his recent predecessors as PM. Tony Blair was more unpopular before he left office, Gordon Brown was far more unpopular during his tenure and Theresa May sunk lower in popular esteem than ever Boris did. Of recent PMs only David Cameron was less negatively perceived at his lowest point. Dave didn’t have the almost universal and unforgiving disdain of the europhile chattering classes against him though…

Eyebrows were raised in Downing Street over the weekend after the publication of a story in The Sunday Times that Boris had looked into having a £150,000 treehouse built for son Wilf at Chequers. The story – undisputed since publication – goes he had once again entered into discussions about Lord Brownlow forking out for the cost, however plans were eventually scuppered by police security concerns given the house would be visible from the road. Despite the design including bulletproof glass, which raised the cost significantly…

Guido was amused to learn that Downing Street’s eyebrows weren’t raised by the Sunday Times’s story, instead by Labour MPs’ attacking the plans on the grounds of Boris being out of touch. Vauxhall’s Florence Eshalomi, Rhondda’s Chris Bryant, Wallasey’s Angela Eagle, and Hull’s Karl Turner were all among those laying into the PM.

No. 10 sources wryly note, however, that it wasn’t that long ago when it was a Labour PM splashing huge wads of cash to renovate Chequers – without a whimper of controversy. In 1999, one Tony Blair added a luxury tennis court complex to the PM’s Buckinghamshire residence, something since enjoyed by successive MPs including David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Sources in the know tell Guido that the courts weren’t built using public cash, nor did they come out of the Chequers Trust, implying the extortionate costs either came out of Blair’s personal pocket, or a private donor. Given Guido unfortunately can’t make it to Blair’s big centrist jamboree today, perhaps an on-hand hack might like to raise the question of who paid for the courts…

Blair should feel proud that he more than any other British politician manages to get so many excited and involved in politics. In 2003 a million marched against Iraq, and almost 20 years later one million have once again signalled they’re prepared to protest against Tony Blair. This time over his knighthood…

A Change.Org petition, originally set up to have Blair’s Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, has been renamed as a “Rally against Tony Blair’s Knighthood ‘honour'”. 1,159,529 users are signed up to it. 

“His policies have touched most of our lives in some way and it is almost always negative. 

And now, on 13th June, he will be awarded one of this nation’s highest Honours by Her Majesty the Queen.”

“On Monday, 13th June, a gathering of like-minded people is to be held in Windsor, where Tony Blair and the world’s press can witness precisely what the people of this country think about this award. Where people can stand up and be seen by the world’s press voicing their feelings and sending our message that we do not consent to this ill-deserved award.”

The protest near Windsor Castle is officially organised by Stop the War, who are yet to march on the Russian Embassy. What are the chances the protest also has a significant republican element?

Michael Gove tells Sky News why Blair deserves his knighthood…

“… I think any fair-minded person would say that he was an outstanding statesman and performer and, as a prime minister who put public service first, this recognition from Her Majesty is entirely appropriate.”

Following the announcement of Tony Blair’s knighthood on New Year’s Eve – which has already seen over 500,000 sign a petition to strip him of the gong – Shadow Education Secretary Wes Streeting heaped praise on the award:

Congratulations to Sir Tony Blair, but I know he’ll be even more proud that @ValerieAmos, a personal hero of mine and so many others, has become - yet again - a trailblazer. So many firsts in her career, beating a path for others to follow. A totally inspirational woman. https://t.co/mVGc7JH2rR

— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) December 31, 2021

Immediately, left-wing critics of Wes pointed out his views had seemingly done a 180-degree U-turn since 2010, when he tweeted that Blair should be “tried at the Hague for the various war crimes to his sordid name”.

This would be a startling change of attitude towards the former PM, had he not outed none other than Owen Jones as the author of said tweet back at Labour Party conference 2021.

Thankfully for Tony, his knightly successor Sir Keir has defended his New Year award, telling GMB this morning he deserves the honour. This ain’t no Blair ditch project…