Recently in Tony Blair Category

It is hard to sum up the excrebale former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair. Why do peple give him so much money and apparent influence ?

He's taken millions from dictators and cosied up to warlords. As its reported 'Teflon Tony' is plotting an alliance with a super-rich financier, a devastating critique of the... Man who turned amorality into an art form

By Ian Birrell

Ian Birrell @ianbirrell http://www.ianbirrell.com/

PUBLISHED: 00:26, 12 January 2013 | UPDATED: 00:26, 12 January 2013

[...]

It was the sort of event the former Labour leader seems to love: a private jet to take him there, a £3,000-a-night hotel suite, and networking with the super-rich. Yet his sanctimonious speech was little more than hypocritical hogwash coming from a man who, to my mind, has turned amorality into an art form.

For all his honeyed words about serving humanity, this is a man who used his contacts book from Downing Street to launch a lucrative career advising absolute monarchs, wealthy bankers and despots.

[...]

Take the mystery of his fee for that Beijing speech. Sources in China said he was handed about $200,000 (around £125,000) to deliver the lecture on philanthropy.
But when I asked his office if he was paid -- which might seem at odds with the spirit of both the conference and his speech -- they flatly denied it. His spokeswoman gave me an unambiguous, one-word answer: 'No.'

Yet when I queried this, saying that it conflicted with what I had heard from Beijing, her reply changed. He was not personally paid, she said, but a payment went to one of his charities.

[...]

But criticism seems to have no effect on Teflon Tony. Recently he was back in Britain, joking with journalists in Westminster at a Lobby lunch. He sidestepped a question about his earnings while undermining the policies of current Labour leader Ed Miliband, an ally of his detested successor Gordon Brown.

The appearance was a reminder that he still holds ambitions for a leading role on the world stage, perhaps as President of Europe. Unfortunately, it coincided with a key Palestinian official giving a damning verdict on his peacemaking role as 'useless, useless, useless'.

The lunch also came days after another sharp reminder of one of the most sordid episodes in Blair's decade in power -- his disgraceful 'deal in the desert' nine years ago with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, which brought the despot in from the cold in return for him renouncing his weapons of mass destruction programme.

Less publicised was the apparent agreement for our intelligence services to act as outriders for a regime infamous for its barbarity.
[...]

Blair's failed "Quartet" Middle East Peace Envoy role pays for his office in the Georgian listed builing at 9 Grosvenor Square (in sight of the Canadian and USA Embassies)

Inside the intriguing world of Tony Blair Incorporated

Days after Gaddafi's fall, I stood in the wrecked home of the British high commissioner to Libya and found piles of secret documents revealing the disturbingly close links between Blair and the oil-rich tyrant in Tripoli.

There were obsequious letters from Downing Street to Gaddafi, suggested questions from our security services to put to detained dissidents, and even offers to use British special forces to train the regime's most feared troops.

Little wonder that Saif Gaddafi -- whom Blair infamously helped with his dodgy PhD thesis at the London School of Economics -- called him 'a personal family friend'.

Another friend of the former British PM was ousted Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, who used to lend Blair a luxury villa on the Red Sea for holidays. When the Arab Spring erupted and protesters poured into Cairo's Tahrir Square, Blair hailed his corrupt pal -- who embezzled billions -- as 'a force for good'.

[...]

Or take his dubious activities in central Asia. Three years ago, Blair was thought to have been paid £90,000 by an obscure oligarch to officially open a methanol plant in Baku. 'I've always wanted to visit Azerbaijan,' he gushed.

[...]

Even more disheartening are Blair's dealings in Kazakhstan, where President Nursultan Nazarbayev is reported to have paid an astonishing $13 million to hire him in 2011.

The Kazakh government was delighted by the coup: 'We could not have a better adviser,' said one official. No wonder -- a nasty regime had bought itself a fig-leaf of respectability, albeit for a small fortune.

It seems they did not just get Blair but his acolytes: former spin doctor Alastair Campbell was spotted at the airport in the capital Astana, and Lord Mandelson has reportedly been paid to speak by the state's sovereign wealth fund. Business leaders close to New Labour are also active there.

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One New Labour insider told me that Blair was transfixed by money and power. 'His view of the world is totally realist,' the source said. 'So there is nothing to inhibit him from doing business with some of the world's most awful people.'

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Since then, he has displayed similar courage standing up to the murderous regime of President Paul Kagame. It has clamped down on internal dissent, sent hit squads to kill dissidents overseas and provoked chaos in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, inflaming the world's deadliest conflict since World War II.

Kagame has been helped by huge sums in foreign aid, but in recent months even his biggest backers in Britain and America suspended funding after the United Nations showed that he was fomenting unrest again in the Congo.

Blair, however, still supports this monstrous man through his personal charity, the African Governance Initiative, which is advising governments in five countries in Africa. Indeed, their relationship is so close that Kagame even put a £30 million private jet at his disposal.

[...]

Even the USA based Huffington Post seems stunned at this "own goal" Tony Blair Returns With Ed Miliband Event, But Not Everyone Is Pleased

Tony Blair made another attempt to re-enter the British political fray this evening when he joined Labour leader Ed Miliband at an event at Arsenal's Emirates stadium in north London, although not everyone was happy to see him.

The Daily Mail: Looks who's come back! Tony Blair's new job for Labour as he shares stage with Ed Miliband

Guests paid £500 to attend the Labour sports dinner, which was hosted by comedians Eddie Izzard and Jo Brand. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, a long-standing Labour supporter, also appeared on stage.

The celebrity-studded event was designed to allow Mr Blair to make his re-entry into British politics, five years after he left Number 10.

The Guardian: Return of the king to heal divisions within the Labour tribe

The evening, which raised a six-figure sum, was convened by Alastair Campbell, who always served Blair as leader of his tribe and never as a courtier motivated by personal ambition

These untrustworthy politicians are guilty of hubris and would be a disaster if they ever got back into power.

NuNuLabour seem to be increasingly like the old NuLabour.

Tony Blair, as expected, seems to have come through his day of questioning by the Chilcot Inquiry virtually unscathed, and just as sanctimoniously arrogant and unapologetic as ever.

No doubt Gordon Brown will also try to evade any responsibility for his involvement in the ill prepared planning for the invasion of Iraq, and the utter incompetence of the Labour Government (and George Bush junior's US Government) when it came to the aftermath of the removal of the evil dictator Saddam Hussein.

The anonymous media briefings and spin (e.g. in The Times) have started up again, that somehow, after the Irish referendum vote on the Lisbon Treaty, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair, is somehow set to be appointed as the unelected President of the European Council when the Treaty is ratified.

How likely that Tony Blair will give up his lucrative money making speaking tours and his supposedly high profile international diplomatic role as a Middle East peace envoy ? He benefits financially and prestige wise, with his Office of Tony Blair in the 18th Century John Adams house, number 9 Grosvenor Square, London

This is paid for , to the tune of more than half a million pounds a year for the office rent alone, by the Quartet on the MIddle East i.e. the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the United Nations and the European Union, for some vague, unattainable Peace Envoy role in the Middle East. It is also a prestigious office, near the US Embassy etc. useful for his lucrative speaking tours, investment bank directorships and for his Sports Foundation and Faith Foundation.

None of these activities are compatible with a "President of Europe" role - but desperate, grasping politicians may choose to overlook this.

The European Union faces many big problems in the future, but Tony Blair is part of those problems, not an answer to them.

What can you do to Stop Tony Blair ?

1) Lobby your elected politicians

Write to your Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament, via the
http://www.writetothem.com/, expressing your opposition to the idea of a political comeback for Tony Blair as the unelected President of the European Council.

2) Display some web buttons on your blog etc..

Feel free to use these smaller logos on your own blog pages etc.

250 x 85

150 x 51

100 x 34

3) Stop Blair petition

We are not alone in opposing the very idea of Tony Blair being inflicted on UK and European citizens, in a position of power and influence, again, without any democratic mandate whatsoever.

There is a European Union wide petition website, currently with over 34,000 signatures, opposed to such an insulting nomination

Stop Blair! - http://www.stopblair.eu/

which links to the online petition at

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stopblair/sign.html

The Times has the worrying report that:

From The Times
October 2, 2009

'President' Blair waits on voters of Ireland

Philip Webster, David Charter, Roger Boyes and Charles Bremner

Tony Blair is in line to be proclaimed Europe's first president within weeks if the Irish vote "yes" in today's referendum.

Senior British sources have told The Times that President Sarkozy has decided that Mr Blair is the best candidate and that Angela Merkel has softened her opposition.

"Senior British sources" - who exactly ?

The former Prime Minister could be ushered into the European Union's top post at a summit on October 29.

Ms Merkel, the German Chancellor, was opposed to Mr Blair because she believed that the post should go to a country that had adopted the euro but British sources said that she may now be "biddable" if Germany and France get plum posts in the new European Commission.

German sources insisted that it was far from clear that Ms Merkel had changed her mind and there were suggestions in Paris that Mr Sarkozy was happy to be seen to be backing Mr Blair because he knew that Ms Merkel would scupper the appointment.

"German sources" - who exactly ?

Mr Blair, whose claims are being advanced by ministers in London, will not enter the race unless he is certain of winning. He is wary of giving up his many other commitments, spanning business, the Middle East, climate change and his Faith Foundation.

[...]

Which "ministers in London" exactly ?

Tony Blair and his Labour party cronies cannot be trusted to defend our human rights and liberties - they literally practice Orwellian doublethink and newspeak , and are utterly ignorant of high technology and incompetent with basic economics.

He must not be allowed to become the unelected "President of Europe", something which which is felt strongly both by supporters and opponents of the European Union !.

There is a petition, with over 34,000 signatures opposing the idea of Tony Blair becoming the unelected "President of the European Union".

See

http://www.stopblair.eu/

which leads to

Petition

We, European citizens of all origins and of all political persuasions, wish to express our total opposition to the nomination of Tony Blair to the Presidency of the European Council

Any UK or EU politicians or bureaucrats who propose or support the insulting idea of "President" Blair, especially those who do not sincerely believe in it, but are just trying to score political points of their rivals, should also be punished by the electorate.

The Independent on Sunday has another report about the sneaky lobbying , which has been going on for over a year, to appoint the disgraceful, untrustworthy former Prime Minister Tony Blair, to the unelected (by the people) position of "President of the European Union".

Blair steps up fight to be crowned first 'President of EU'

Brown gives grudging blessing to his old rival's return to new job at centre of the global stage

By Jane Merrick, Political Editor

Sunday, 5 April 2009

Tony Blair has emerged as the leading candidate to become the first permanent president of the European Union after Gordon Brown gave his grudging blessing to the plan. The former prime minister has stepped up his campaign for the job, which he wants to use to build a bridge between Europe and the new Obama administration.

Tony Blair has emerged as the leading candidate to become the first permanent president of the European Union after Gordon Brown gave his grudging blessing to the plan. The former prime minister has stepped up his campaign for the job, which he wants to use to build a bridge between Europe and the new Obama administration.
Related articles

His return to the global stage would be a shock to his critics over the Iraq war and dismay many in Europe.

But The Independent on Sunday has learnt that Mr Brown has accepted that his old rival should be in pole position for the appointment, on the basis that Britain needs to have a key figure in the architecture of the "new world order".

A senior British official said: "He [Brown] will have to swallow hard to sit down in meetings once again with Blair. But he accepts that there needs to be someone from the UK in the new global architecture. There is no opposition to the plan. Things have moved on, people have moved on."

[...]

There certainly is opposition to this plan from the people of the United Kingdom and the rest of the European Union.

There is a European Union wide petition website opposed to such an insulting nomination

Stop Blair!

currently with over 27,000 signatures.

Obviously this is not a very good photo, but this bit of history, the last exit of Tony Blair from Downing Street as Prime Minister which NuLabour blog witnessed at about 11 minutes past one on Wednesday 27th June, was worth a small cheer - hooray !

There were relatively small crowds on either side of Whitehall, with the "Stop the War" demonstrators penned in on the Ministry of Defence side, and with NuLabour apparatchiki and some school children etc. who had been bused in on the Downing Street side.

We do not look forward to the misrule of Gordon Brown, who we simply cannot trust not to be a meddling micro-managing control freak, especially as he has such a dearth of competent Labour politicians from which to chose his Cabinet Ministers.

The mainstream media are full of 10 year retrospectives and endless interviews with Labour politicians, now that Tony Blair has at last actually announced that he will step down as Prime Minister on 27th June 2007.

Note how there is no mention of the various NuLabour sleaze scandals, "cash for honours" ,criminal investigation or the destruction of our civil liberties and freedoms etc. in any of the TV soundbite roundups of Blair's 10 years in power.

Will we have to suffer this saturation coverage all over again on the 27th of June as well ?

Tomorrow, no doubt, they will be full of Gordon Brown's media spin, as he officially starts his "coronation" procession to power at Number 10 Downing Street.

What bad news will the NuLabour spin doctors and apparatchiki on say the home Office or the new Ministry of Justice or the Treasury have smuggled out during today's "good day to bury bad news" ?

Tony Blair's vahue statement today that the forthcoming TUC and labour party conferences would be his last in office, looks like an attempt to cling on to power for another 12 months.

The "within 12 months" statement does not add anythingh to the political kite floated a couple of days ago.

Will he manage this or will his colleagues force him out before the forthcoming May elections, in which they risk losing control of the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and many local councils ?

Given that Gordon Brown is at least as much to blame for NuLabour's destruction of civil liberties, growth of the surveillance state, high taxes and the routine use of media spin and manipulation, all the suppposed TBGB rivalry reported in the mainstream media seems rather false.

Who are all of these backbench Labour MPs who have been filling the TV news screens recently, ?

We have not noticed any worthwile contributions to important Parliamentary debates by the likes of Sir Peter Soulsby or Doug Henderson or Stephen Pound or Karen Buck etc.

Bloggerheads has an analysis of an online petiton attempt to rally support for Tony Blair - is this political astroturf ?

The Sun is claiming that Tony Blair plans to resign as leader of the Labour party on 31st May 2007,

There is then meant to be an 8 week leadership contest.

Tony Blair is supposed to resign as Prime Minister on 26th July 2007.

This will mean that he will have "achieved" over 10 years in office as Prime Minister.

Is this the end of NuLabour ?

Why should Gordon Brown become Prime Minister by default ?

We see Gordon Brown as even more of a control freak and micromanager than Tony Blair. He shares the blame for the "New Labour" regime.

We will of course be following the NuLabour leadership campaigning with interest.

Even though Gordon Brown is thought of as the leading candidate, there are even worse possibilities e.g. John Reid

We will also be watching the Special Advisors and the other NuLabour apparatchiki to see what they try to sneak through whilst their patronage lasts. Some of them, of course will try to ooze theiir way into positions of influence in the new , hoepfully temporary, NuLabour regime.