Critics label Blair book donation ‘Blood Money’
August 17th, 2010 - 1:30 pm ICT by ANILondon, Aug.17 (ANI): Critics of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair have labelled his multi-million pound donation to the Royal British Legion from proceeds of his autobiography as “blood money”.
Sky News quoted Roger Bacon, whose 34-year-old son Matthew was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2005, said he found it hard to believe a man who was “unable to say sorry” at the Chilcot Inquiry was donating the funds “with a good heart”.
He told Sky News: “I am sure that he has a conscience and one wonders whether in fact it is a guilty conscience that makes him do this.”
Blair’s spokesman said the fee and any royalties from the autobiography, including a reported 4.6 million advance, would go to the Legion’s Battle Back Challenge Centre, which is set to open in summer 2012.
Chris Simpkins, the Royal British Legion’s director general, said the Legion was “delighted” to accept the “very generous” donation.
Blair’s book, A Journey, is expected to lift the lid on his years in Downing Street. It will be published on September 1. (ANI)
- Prince William behind Tony Blair wedding snub due to personal hatred? - Apr 29, 2011
- Ban on taking Blair's photos during promotion of autobiography - Aug 12, 2010
- Blair met Mittal over Kazakhstan deal: Report - Oct 30, 2011
- Blair could have pulled troops back on brink of 2003 invasion of Iraq: Straw - Feb 03, 2011
- Try Blair for war crimes, say families of soldiers killed in Iraq - Oct 14, 2009
- Blair Govt. had no sense of being at war in Iraq: Ex-defence chief - Jan 28, 2011
- Queen furious over Tony Blair memoirs - Sep 04, 2010
- Jolie not writing any memoir - Sep 29, 2010
- Tony Blair was offered final chance to avoid Iraq invasion, Chilcot inquiry told - Jan 21, 2011
- Former UK envoy says Blair exaggerated Iran's role in Iraq - Jul 08, 2010
- Blair expresses regret for Iraq war victims - Jan 22, 2011
- Secret memos expose link between UK Govt, oil firms and invasion of Iraq - Apr 19, 2011
- Gaddafi's son seeks friend Tony Blair's "diplomatic" assistance in 'crushing their enemies' - Feb 25, 2011
- 'Tony Blair misled Brit MPs over going ahead with Iraq invasion without UN backing' - Jan 18, 2011
- Tony Blair's wife flogs his autograph on eBay - Oct 26, 2010
Tags: autobiography, blood money, book donation, british prime minister, british prime minister tony blair, downing street, former british prime minister tony blair, generous donation, good heart, guilty conscience, minister tony blair, prime minister tony blair, roadside bomb in iraq, roger bacon, royal british legion, royalties, simpkins, sky news, son matthew, tony blair
