By Rupert Hamer
The Sunday Mirror UK
Sunday 21 August 2005
He's eyeing up £250K job with arms trade link firm.
Tony Blair is expected to join one of the most exclusive groups of businessmen in the world after he leaves Downing Street.
The
PM is being lined up for a highly lucrative position with the Carlyle
Group - an American-based investment giant with strong links to the
White House and the defense industry.
The
firm has been nicknamed "The Ex-Presidents Club" because it has had a
host of former world leaders on its books including George Bush Senior,
his former secretary of state James Baker and former British PM John
Major. There a also a large number of former US Army top brass.
Mr.
Blair has been keeping quiet about his plans after his departure from
Number 10 - which could be as early as 2007 according to some Labour
insiders.
But
sources in the City have revealed that he is "seriously considering" a
high-profile role with Carlyle - which manages $30billion (£20million)
of investments worldwide.
The
job could net Mr. Blair up to £500,000 a year for only a few days work
a month giving speeches and making "networking" trips on behalf of the
company.
The
move comes after it emerged that the premier's financial affairs are in
an increasingly perilous state His dream home has crashed in value by
£700,000 in just seven months and he and Cherie have to find £13,000 a
month for the mortgage.
The
£3million loan the couple took out to buy the house in London's
Connaught Square is 17 times Mr. Blair's current salary.
Last
night one leading City source said: "Private equity firms don't come
any more powerful than Carlyle. It would be a huge coup for them if
they could bring Tony Blair on board.
"But
the job is likely to infuriate MPs and campaigners opposed to Britain's
role in the Iraq War because of Carlyle's strong links to the defense
industry."
A
senior Government source admitted: "We know that Tony is looking at a
number of options for life after Downing Street including writing his
memoirs.
"But
taking certain jobs could present the Labour Party with a large
headache, particularly with firms investing in the US arms industry.
"We
are trying to move links with the US and the Iraq War down the agenda -
and linking up with a firm like Carlyle could reopen all those wounds."
At
one time, Carlyle's multi-million pound investors included Saudi
members of the estranged family of al-Qaeda warlord Osama bin Laden,
who have disowned him. But the family have not been involved with the
group for several years.
It
has been criticized for using George Bush Senior to help land business
deals in the Middle East while advising the American President on
sensitive issues in the region at the same time.
City
experts believe Mr. Blair would be ideally suited to the investment
world because he has "the charm to schmooze almost anyone", according
to one financier in the Square Mile.
The PM would have the added advantage of having met many of the world leaders with whom Carlyle is keen to do business.
But friends of Mr Blair insist he is considering other money-making options after leaving frontline politics.
They
include a lecture tour in the United States which could net him more
than £1million and the possibility of a visiting professorship at an
American university.
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