Serious question for British posters

I remember watching some of the campaigning when Tony Blair was re-branding the Labor Party, and then watching some of the PM Questions when he first became PM. He seemed to have broad-based appeal and support. And now, at least from most of the posts here, he is treated like a pariah. Help me understand the complete turn around. Is it just a case of the honeymoon wore off? A break from Thatcherism was welcomed regardless of whom it was? Is it because he sold his integrity to Bush & Cheney? Or is it his support of the EU? All of the above? I can't think of a comparable swing from hero to zero in American presidents since Jimmy Carter, but then he has repaired his reputation in his post-presidency activities while Blair seems to only dig himself a deeper hole.

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SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

He enjoyed very broad popular support and his government successfully negotiated the Northern Ireland peace settlement (that the current administration seems intent on dismantling). The Labour government oversaw an important period of modernisation and social liberalism that was a breath of fresh air in the UK. His early popularity and success led to an unfortunate sense of messianic invulnerability and eventually hubris. The left of his own party will never forgive his alliance with George W. It is worth remembering that a lot of the popular opposition to intervention in Iraq came after the event when the situation became increasingly hopeless.