布莱尔取消回忆录伦敦签售会

爱思英语编者按：据英国每日电讯报道，英国前首相布莱尔6日取消了在伦敦的签名售书活动，避免抗议活动引发混乱。抗议者呼吁公众抵制布莱尔的回忆录《旅程》，指责他“借肮脏的战争发财”。在这本书中，现年57岁的布莱尔回顾自己任内所做重大决定，批评自己的继任者戈登 布朗，同时为自己出兵伊拉克的决定辩护。这本书招致英国反战组织强烈谴责。反战组织成员理查德 博伊德-贝内特说，布莱尔使英国卷入伊拉克战争和阿富汗战争，“造成大量人员死亡和破坏”，“他没有承担任何责任，眼下却依靠这些发财”。

The former Prime Minister, whose new autobiography has already broken sales records, admitted he was “concerned” about the protests at the book signing on Wednesday.

He suggested the event, at the Waterstone’s store in Piccadilly, could be cancelled because he did not want to “put everyone through a lot of cost and hassle” and it “is not as if we need to do it”. 更多信息请访问：http://www.engbus.cn/

Mr Blair labelled as "sad", people who to disrupt the book signing but indicated he may cancel it amid evidence other hostile groups, including the British National Party, could join protesters.

He said the Metropolitan Police were "fabulous and they will do whatever we ask them to do" but should not be asked to commit resources unnecessarily.

His comments come after protesters targeted him during a book signing in Dublin at the weekend where eggs and shoes were thrown by demonstrators.

While no missiles hit Mr Blair, the former prime minister was heckled and jeered by anti-war protesters.

Mr Blair is expected to be greeted by a large number of protesters when he attends this week’s book signing.

Customers wishing to get a signed copy of his memoirs will be subjected to tight security checks.

Asked why he was undertaking such a book signing given the “lively”, protests, Mr Blair told ITV’s new Daybreak morning news programme: “That is quite a good point and frankly in Dublin this is a classic example (where) people that come and protest are in a small minority.

“The ones that are doing all the protesting are the ones that get all the publicity. To be frank I am concerned. I don’t want to put everyone through a lot of cost and hassle at this Wednesday’s signing so I am just thinking about that.

“The Met police are fabulous and they will do whatever we ask them.

Asked if he was now planning to cancel, he added: “Look, as I say, the book is selling fantastically.

“There are people, particularly now the BNP apparently said they want to get in on the action, you end up causing a lot of hassle for people and cast and frankly there are better things for the police to do. So it is not as if we need to do it.

“I think it is sad at the same time frankly. If people want to come and have a book signed, people should protest but not physically prevent you from doing it and that is a pity really.”

In a separate interview on Sky News Mr Blair later said a decision would be made later on Monday whether the book signing would in fact go ahead.

Mr Blair arrived at the ITV studios in a black BMW at 7.50am. He waved to the crowd of waiting photographers as he got out of the vehicle and went inside the building without stopping to speak.

A sign in a window opposite the studio entrance read Bliar (sic) War Crimes.

One protester offered the chance to box the "arrogance" out of the former Prime Minister using a Tony Blair punchbag.

Gunshot survivor and former boxer Davidstar Royal King, formerly David Fergus, brought the punchbag to stage his one-man protest against Mr Blair.

Earlier Mr Blair used an interview with The Daily Telegraph to launch an attack on the liberal prison policies being pursued by the coalition Government.

Mr Blair – who famously promised to be "tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime" – said he "profoundly disagrees" with the approach of Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke, who has rejected the "prison works" mantra of previous administrations.

Mr Blair has already been subjected to a mischievous internet campaign, where some critics want his book to be placed in the crime section of all bookstores.

Heavy discounting helped early sales of Mr Blair's book. It was reduced by 50 per cent to £12.50 at Waterstone's, Amazon and WHSmith.

A Journey is on target to become Amazon.co.uk's biggest selling memoir of all time, selling more than three times as many copies on its release date as Mr Mandelson's book.

A Journey includes revealing anecdotes about the ex-premier's time in power, ranging from his concerns about the amount he was drinking to his views on his colleagues' extramarital affairs.

Much attention has focused on Mr Blair's detailed account of the rift between himself and Gordon Brown, and his concerns about his chancellor's fitness to follow him into 10 Downing Street.

Describing Mr Brown as brilliant but ''maddening'', Mr Blair blamed his successor for losing the last election by deviating from the New Labour message.

Published as the first votes were cast in Labour's leadership contest, the book includes a warning that the party must not to drift to the left if it wants to win the next election.