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Blair is the 'highest-paid public speaker in world'
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent29.10.08
TONY Blair is estimated to have earned £12 million since leaving No10.
The former prime minister is believed to have agreed an advance of around £4.6 million for his memoirs to be published by Random House. But his biggest income is reported to be from his popularity on the international public speaking circuit.
One source in the speaking industry put the figure at more than £5.3 million, adding: "He is now probably the highest-paid public speaker in the world."
Washington Speakers Bureau has a two-year waiting list to book Mr Blair, according to the analysis of his earnings in The Times, with institutions prepared to pay up to £157,000 for a speech of around an hour and a half.
Private equity investor the Carlyle Group whose board has included former prime minister Sir John Major and the two presidents Bush is said to be keen to hire Mr Blair. Events include a conference of business experts in Europe in Paris next month, and a meeting in Dubai in February.
As a senior adviser to Wall Street bank JP Morgan Chase, Mr Blair is believed to earn up to £2 million a year, while his salary from Zurich Financial Services to work as an adviser on international politics and climate change is put at £500,000. As a former prime minister, he is entitled to a pension of £63,468 a year, as well as £84,000 to fund a private office. Mr Blair's spokesman disputed some of the figures but declined to comment on Mr Blair's personal finances.
The £12 million figure is six times more than he would have earned in his career as an MP. But questions are now being raised over whether Mr Blair's money-spinning activities are distracting from his work as the Middle East representative for the Quartet of America, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.
A UN official in Jerusalem said: "There is a general sense that he is not around." But Mr Blair's office strongly defended his devotion to boosting the Middle East peace process.
His spokesman stressed that no Quartet officials had suggested Mr Blair was not spending enough time working to bridge the divide between the Palestinians and Israel.
He added: "When Mr Blair took up the post, he said he would be spending at least a week a month in the region and that is exactly what he is doing."
The value of the Blairs' property portfolio has risen sharply over the years but will now be hit by the house price slump. Their South Pavilion country estate in Buckinghamshire, bought for £4 million in May, is estimated to have fallen in value to £3.76 million.
Their Connaught Square house, bought for £3.65 million in 2004, is still worth more with another house in the street going for £5.5 million a few months ago but its price will now be falling.
The Blairs are believed to have accepted an offer this month for £285,000 on one of the flats they bought in Park Row, Bristol, for £265,000 each six years ago. His Myrobella house in his former Sedgefield constituency was bought for £30,000 in 1983 and is now understood to have dropped in value by around £14,000 from last summer to £126,000.
Reader views (44)
You'd have to pay me to listen to him. We have had years of this self-serving, egregious man spouting his rubbish for free, why on earth should we now pay for more of the same?
- Andrew Faser, Bromley, UK
To read some of the comments posted already, you'd think that Tony Blair was holding a gun to people's heads and forcing them to pay him. He (more probably his agent) names his price and potential clients can take it or leave it. That they sign him up shows that the agent is doing his job.
It's always amazing to see how some Conservatives react when faced with unbridled market forces at work. And why did no one have any problems with William Hague making a reputed near-£1m a year as a speaker whilst serving as an MP.
- Tonyb, Melbourne, Australia
When will the people of the world say enough is enough. Tony Blair gets 2 million to give financial advice to JP Morgan Chase? Give me a freakin' break. This is so sickening. I just pray for all these greedy leeches comeuppance.
- Jimbojames, NY, NY
Val - they rose because they were glad to see the back oh him.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
If he is as bad as you would like to portray him, why did David Cameron rise and give him a standing ovation in the House of Commons on the day he left office, and exhort his fellow Conservatives to do the same. And why has he finally admitted in his biop that he sees himself as the heir to Blair, because he is so in tune with everything Tony Blair stands for and everything he did, including Iraq and Afghanistan..
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain
About time he gave all £12m to the Labour Party which made him what he is today.
- Dhanraj, Basildon
For "speaker", why not use the correct word; charlatan
- L.Taubler, London / UK
Our former politicians, disliked by the majority of the population, make millions speaking, too. It must be a western trend, that a small majority of their comrades have ridiculous amounts of money to hear them speak. Here's how it works: while in office, they made their buddies rich, so it's payback time. 
- Michelle, Harrodsburg, USA
Well, it seems Tony got what he wanted out of the Iraq invasion. Remember, Tony, there's no statute of limitations on war crimes.
- Nooneyouknow, NYC, USA
it´s unbelievable to get so much money out of lies, spin and talking about something you haven´t got a clue.
- John Span, london
He should be behind bars !!
- Joanna Campbell, Bagdad, Iraq
There - and I was told that the Labour party was the working man's party. What a lot of rubbish they all are. Give me a decent Tory with my money any day.At least you know where they are. This sneaky litle object is beyond belief.
Amber in Mitcham
- Amber In Mitcham, Mitcham Surrey
He's also the biggest liar in the world.
- Mike, London
At least Gordo will get about £4m of it to prop his banking chums. At least he will if hasn't declared himself a non-dom...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
It strikes me that the first law of socialism is that 'SHORTAGES SHOULD BE EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED AMONGST THE POOR'.
It seems that the Blair acquisition philosophy reflects the old adage 'DO UNTO OTHERS AS THEY WOULD DO UNTO YOU, THEN PISS OFF BEFORE THE POLICE GET THERE!'
- Burton J Helling, Le Hommet d'Arthenay, Normandy, France
Mr Blair and other leaders were elected to run their countries and improve the standard of living of the people not to sell memoirs and make a fortune from speeches. Our political leaders never tell us what is going on during their mandate under secrecy laws but as soon as they leave office they spill the beans in memoirs and speaking engagements.
The money made should be paid to the state since they already receive a fat pension for their efforts in office.
- Peterfieldman, paris france
I hope Mr Blair appreciates that much of his earning capacity in the US was 'bought' by the sacrifices made by UK servicemen and women.
- Ed, London
Remember the old adage, "Lies, damned lies and mendacity Blair!"
- Joe, London, UK
He needs the money to pay for round the clock security.
- Bloke, London
I trust that this self-proclaimed Christian gentlement will be donating these millions to the poor; the eye of the needle and all that.
- Andrew, London
Perhaps Blair should NOW pay back his "Civil Service pension pot" (i.e the £10M+) so that our armed forces can be properly equipped for war in foreign lands?
- Fraser, Telford Park
i supose he pays his taxes ect offshore after deserting the uk
- Phelps Robert, bussiere poitevine
Perhaps he should 'spend, spend, spend' to get us out of this recession?
- Jc, London
"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others". George Orwell, Animal Farm.
Never has a phrase proved to be more relevant than when applied to Blair and the other NuLabour Champaign Socialists.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
It proves, yet again, that too many people have more money than sense.
- Stuart, Leeds, England
Gordon Brown complained about the fat cats in the city.... perhaps he should look at the snuffling (Labour) pigs in the trough closer to home.
If he doesn’t agree with people earning large sums of money can we expect him to enter into an agreement not to earn more than he has done as PM after he leaves office in 2010?
- Wayne Barrow, London
I hate to ask. Why? People who pay to hear him speak obviously have more money than sense.
- Wen, Oxfordshire
Looking at how 'President' Blair acted in office and how he made poor Gordon wait for his turn, some people may say that New Labour was created to satisfy the greedy ambitions of Blair and his wife.
- Peter, London UK
And what has happened to the financial markets since he became a senior adviser?
- David, Lewes, East Sussex
At least he can do something right. Pity about the last 10 years.
- Dan, Manchester
Blair, Bush, Howard,Brown,ALL HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS!!!
- Alan Wilby, Perth Australia
Doesn't say much for the audience. Who in their right mind would pay to listen to 90 minutes of history-rewriting, cringing, self-obsessed, self-righteous and self-promoting drivel?
- Austen, London
What a charlatan. Still at least when these more-money-than-sense-possessing fools are coughing up the big bucks to hear his self-aggrandising waffle we don't have to anymore.
- Squiz, Islington
What a charlatan. Still at least when these more-money-than-sense-possessing fools are coughing up the big bucks to hear his self-aggrandising waffle we don't have to anymore.
- Churchill The Jowly Insurance Hound, Islington
How can anybody earn that amout of money for expelling a few litres of hot air?
In a less honest man one could be forgiven for thinking that it was earned prior to leaving office.
- Fred Forsythe (Not The), Worcester England
I love democracy...demonstration of craziness!!!
Capitalism is the few enriching each other.
- Ed Baines, London
Mr Blair should be tried for war crimes. But there are two laws prevailing in England: one for the rich, and the punitive one for everyone else. If you or I brought about the deaths of over one million civilians, we should be gaoled for 40 years.
- Neil, london uk, Airstrip ONE .
I cling to the hope that "what goes around, come around" and this miserable, selfish, self-publicising incompetent idiot gets his come-uppance eventually!
- Marianne, S W France
What a disgrace the Blairs are - Using the country as an opportunity for personal gain and leaving the country in a state of financial ruin - In any other walk of life Blair would have face charges for the lies and corruption that he personally presided over -He no more cares about this country or the middle east that he is currently using to further his international profile. Now in this country we're left with an un-elected leader with no clue what to do and reeking havoc on the states finances! What a legacy! No Cherie, he isn't "up there with Churchill!"
- Des Stewart, london, England
No one is worth that amount for a talk.
I think we all know what it is about.
Payoff time comes after they leave office and they have to appear to earn it.
- Sid Siddle, Glasgow, Britain
So what?
Is this right-wing jealousy?
At least he's done this whilst out of office, like Margaret Thatcher. BoZo is coining-it with idiotic Telegraph articles whilst he's in office!!
No wonder this modern-day Marie Antionette can afford to spend his way through the current difficulties- but doesn't he get it that the majority of Londoners can't?
Mug. Smug. Smug Mug.
- Fresh, London
This is the man who lectured us about poverty in Africa!!! I hope the Inland Revenue are keeping close tabs on him and his money-grabbing wife. 'Things can only get better...! They did, for the Blairs.
- Beatriz, London
What type of role model is Bliar? It just goes to show that mendacity wins. This does typify this disgraceful period since 1997 under Labour with feral youth, pathetic BBC (example: Ross and Brand) and the mendacity of Bliar.
- Joe, London, UK
What a joke....considering the economic mess left behind him!
Someone was fast asleep.
And it was HIS watch.
Perhaps a result of only listening to bearers of good news?
- David West, London/England
