Monday 28 November 2022 05:47 PM Tony Blair tells LGBT campaigners not to 'disrespect' World Cup hosts Qatar trends now Tony Blair tells LGBT campaigners not to 'disrespect' World Cup hosts Qatar because the UK allies 'invest a huge amount of money in this country' and likens situation to England hosting in 1966 when homosexuality was illegal in Britain By David Wilcock, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline Published: 17:39 GMT, 28 November 2022 | Updated: 17:41 GMT, 28 November 2022 Viewcomments Former prime minister Tony Blair sparked fury today by telling gay rights campaigners not to 'disrespect' World Cup hosts Qatar. The tiny Gulf nation has been the subject of protests and criticism around the tournament due to its refusal to accept LGBT rights. But former Labour leader Mr Blair, who welcomed the former emir Sheikh Hamed Bin Khalifa Al Thani to Downing Street in 2006, warned the protests were 'not sensible'. Speaking to LBC's News Agents podcast he said that the repressive state was a UK ally which invested a lot of money in Britain. He also pointed out that when England hosted the World Cup in 1966, homosexuality was still illegal in Britain. His comments were criticised by Amnesty International's UK chief executive Sacha Deshmukh saying: 'Qatar's anti-LGBTQ+ laws are absolutely indefensible and there was never any conceivable way that Qatar would be able to host the World Cup without this being pointed out time and time again. 'Instead of harking back to 1966 and the completely different world of 56 years ago, Tony Blair should be standing up for present-day LGBTQ+ Qataris who are being denied their freedom and their basic rights. Former prime minister Tony Blair sparked fury today by telling gay rights campaigners not to 'disrespect' World Cup hosts Qatar. England's football team had been planning to wear the LGBTQ+ armband along with other European teams such as Germany and Denmark before the campaign was dropped when FIFA threatened to hand out yellow cards to players. Pictured: Harry Kane wearing the rainbow armband Blair also pointed out that when England hosted the World Cup in 1966, homosexuality was still illegal in Britain. Mr Blair and wife Cherie with the emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamed Bin Khalifa Al Thani and Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned in 2006 'The former prime minister should realise that if anything is driving change in Gulf countries today, it's the bravery of human rights defenders who are putting their freedom on the line.' Seven European nations, including the two British teams, had hoped to wear the rainbow armband during the tournament as part of a year-long anti-discrimination campaign in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. However, bosses had to abandon those plans when FIFA threatened them with sporting sanctions, which only started at a yellow card for the captains wearing them. Other gestures have since been made, including lighting up the Wembley Stadium arch in rainbow colours, while BBC pundit Alex Scott did wear the armband during coverage of England's opening game with Iran. Today sports minister Stuart Andrew, who is gay, said he won't 'shy away from who I am' and would wear a OneLove armband to tomorrow's World Cup clash between England and Wales. Current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is boycotting the football tournament with his frontbench team over concerns for the rights of LGBTQ people and women, and for workers who died in the build-up to the competition. Mr Blair said: 'Well, you can feel strongly about gay rights, and indeed, you know, my government introduced a huge amount of legislation on it and I'm a total supporter of it. 'But I think it's not sensible of us to disrespect Qatar. This is their biggest event that they've held... it's a huge event for the country. 'They are allies of ours, they do invest a huge amount of money in this country. 'I think you can make the point that you hope - as I believe will happen, by the way, across the Middle East... one of the things I can see now is there is a kind of social revolution going on across the Middle East right now. 'And I think it will, in the end, change the role of women... and on things like gay rights, the Middle East is opening up today in the Gulf.' The former Labour leader continued: 'I think we're in danger of going over the top on this. Remember, the last time we held the World Cup here in England, at that time in 1966, being homosexual was still illegal.' Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility