LANCASHIRE Council of Mosques chairman Abdul Hamid Qureshi has accused Tony Blair of being ‘patronising’ over his call for a global drive to teach respect for other faiths.

The former Prime Minister, who deployed British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, said education in religious tolerance was vital to tackling the roots of extremism.

Mr Blair yesterday said it was ‘foolish’ to spend billions on a military fight with Islamic extremism if intolerance was left ‘undisturbed’.

He wants schools to teach ‘the virtue of religious respect’ as a matter of ‘urgent global importance’.

Mr Qureshi said: “Tolerance for other people’s religions and beliefs is at the root of Islam.

“It is patronising of Tony Blair to say this. You can’t go into other people’s countries shoot and kill them and then lecture them about education in religious tolerance.”

Pendle Tory MP Andrew Stephenson said of Mr Blair: “He is right. Teaching religious tolerance is important.However there may be some people in the Middle East who think he is not the appropriate person to say this.

“It’s a little bit rich coming from Mr Blair after Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Labour candidate for Pendle Azhar Ali said: “Mr Blair is right. He’s as entitled to say it as anyone else. He has done a lot of interfaith work.

“The first thing we need to do is improve integration and get people living alongside each other which promotes respect.”

Burnley Liberal Democrat MP Gordon Birtwistle said: “He is absolutely right. Respect for other people’s beliefs, religions and way of life are basic.I think we teach that well in Burnley and East Lancashire.”

Blackburn MP Jack Straw, Mr Blair’s Foreign Secretary, said: “I think he is absolutely right. I believe tolerance is taught in East Lancashire schools including our faith schools.Tony is fully entitled to his views and to express them.”

Bishop of Blackburn Julian Henderson, said: “It makes perfect sense for all schools everywhere, religious denomination or none, to ensure awareness and respect of other religions.”