Tony Blair lined up for knighthood to ‘unblock’ queue of PMs waiting for titles

TONY Blair is being lined up for a knighthood to “unblock” a queue of former PMs waiting for titles.

It would open the way for Gordon Brown, David ­Cameron and Theresa May to receive top honours.

Buckingham Palace officials have become concerned there is a political imbalance which has seen Tory MPs land the lion’s share of the accolades.

Sources say efforts to hand Mr Brown the Order of the Garter have stalled as the Queen is unwilling to give the same title to Mr Blair because of anger at his handling of the death of Princess Diana.

All but one of the Queen’s nine prime ministers before Blair were made Knights of the Garter, an honour created by Edward III in 1348.

A source said: “Blair is the block but they just won’t do it.”

However, they added there is “concern in the palace that senior orders are beginning to look politically unbalanced”.

Of the 102 posts in the four highest honours — the Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle, Order of Merit and Order of the Companions of Honour —- the Tories hold 22, Labour four and Lib Dems three.

Labour’s Harriet Harman and Margaret Beckett could benefit from a shake-up.