Tony Blair
has handed the money made from almost a decade in business to a new 'Not
For Profit Institute' tasked with dreaming up new centre ground
policies.
The
controversial former Prime Minister insisted his new Institute was
neither a think tank or a vehicle for his own dramatic return to front
line politics.
Instead,
Mr Blair said, it will be a 'platform' for working politicians of the
kind he said he would want were he still in No 10, offering 'thought
leadership'.
The
three-time election winner said the new organisation would include all
of his previous interests - including on improving governance in African
countries and interfaith relations - and not be a replacement for them.
Tony Blair, pictured after he was slammed by the Chilcot Inquiry in
July, announced a new Institute for politicians today that he claimed
was not a return to front line politics
But all of
the other ventures are to be shut down and folded into the new
Institute. It means the 'entirety' of the reserves, worth £8million, are
being passed on.
Mr
Blair said it was 'abundantly clear' he could not make a personal
return to UK politics, acknowledging he is reviled by many for the Iraq
War.
But
he said: 'However, I care about my country and the world my children
and grandchildren will grow up in; and want to play at least a small
part in contributing to the debate about the future of both.'
Mr Blair said he had 'learnt a huge
amount about the world' and had a greater understanding about what 'I
can do and can't do to affect it positively'.
Explaining his new Institute, Mr
Blair said: 'This is the creation of a platform designed to build a new
policy agenda for the centre ground together with the networks which
link people up, and allow a reasonable and evidence based discussion of
the future which avoids the plague of social media-led exchanges of
abuse.'
He added: 'Part of its focus will plainly be around the European debate; but this will not be its exclusive domain.
'It has to go far wider than that since in many ways the Europe debate is a lightning rod for the whole of politics.'
Mr Blair hinted at the dramatic return to front line politics to prevent Britain becoming a 'one-party state' in October.
In an
extraordinary interview with Esquire magazine, the former Prime Minister
acknowledges he is deeply unpopular in Britain in the wake of the Iraq
war.
Mr Blair has made an increasing number of political interventions in recent months, including backing Remain
But
he says he is 'very motivated' to try and save the brand of centre-left
politics which saw him win three elections, but which has now been
abandoned by Labour.
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