almost impossible to find anyone in this country or even in the United States who is willing to support the military action against Saddam Hussein.” One further Iraq related battle he still has on his hands, and some say could be the undoing of him, is the long-awaited Chilcot Enquiry into the 2001 invasion. Stalled as it awaits agreement on the papers it can or cannot see relating to contact between the White House and Downing Street, there are very active forces at play determined to keep such papers from the public. This only fuels rumours that there is something to hide. A cross-party group of MP’s is about to try to force a Commons vote to compel Sir John Chilcot to publish by the end of February. The report is finished but is awaiting a response to warning letters he sent out to those that will face criticism. Norman Baker MP (Lib Dem, Lewes) recently stated “It is outrageous that the report has not yet been published. We need it in the public domain before the election and we need to know who is holding it
“I have long since given up trying to persuade people it was the right decision. Think of the price that people paid before Saddam was removed”
up and why.” Some might say this is a sad end to the reputation of a man that was rightfully lauded for his achievements that convinced the electorate to vote for him three times and dragged the Labour Party out of the dark ages. Nothing Blair does now can remove him from this shadow. His entrepreneurial activities since leaving office attract nothing but opprobrium as he keenly tries to explain that his business dealings are not as lucrative as everyone thinks. In a wide-ranging interview with Vanity Fair, the former Prime Minister also cites Henry Kissinger as a role model. Kissinger is hated by many on the left because of his part in the covert bombing of Cambodia but Blair looks to his longevity rather than his policies. “One of the things people are going to have to get used to is that you are going to get leaders leaving office in their early 50s,” Blair says. “I have a lot of energy. I feel extremely fit. There’s no way I’m going to retire and play golf. You look at someone like Henry Kissinger. He’s 91 and he’s still going strong. I love that. Or Shimon
Peres - these are my role models.” Blair, who has built a global business network since leaving Downing Street, defends his financial dealings, describing his involvement in countries around the world as not work for hire but work that can change the character of countries. Denying there was any conflict of interest in the work he does, he says of Tony Blair Associates: “We have incredibly strict rules”. He has been involved in giving advice to governments in Kazakhstan and Mongolia, among others. Asked by Vanity Fair’s veteran correspondent Sarah Ellison if there was anyone he would not work for, such as the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, Blair smiled and switched the topic to Kazakhstan. Later in the interview he says: “I’m not holding my breath for the call from Putin.” Asked again what he would do if Putin called, he said: “It won’t come, so let me not either praise or insult.” There has been a lot of speculation about Blair’s wealth. Earlier this year, he scoffed at reports he was worth over £100m and said it was less than £20m. The Vanity Fair interview further refines that. One of his staff - described as a “Blair spokesperson” - said his net worth is “roughly equal to what he has given away”, which Vanity Fair estimated at £10m. But this number does not include Blair’s portfolio of properties, which include a mansion in Buckinghamshire and six homes in London, which estimates put at much more than £10m. Asked about Iraq, the most divisive issue of his premiership, Blair expresses resentment at the damage done to his reputation. “People say: ‘Why should you listen to him?’ because of Iraq.