BLAIR: WEALTH CLAIMS EXAGGERATED
Tony Blair has claimed reports of his wealth since leaving office have been "greatly exaggerated".
The former prime minister dismissed claims that he was worth up to £100 million, suggesting that the true figure was less than a fifth of that.
Speaking to the Progress centre-left think-tank in London, he said that most of his time was spent on unpaid work such as being the representative of the international Quartet on the Middle East.
He said he needed his earnings from his businesses to support his works with his Faith Foundation, which promotes religious co-existence, and his Africa Governance Initiative.
Mr Blair has faced criticism for reportedly amassing tens of millions of pounds through consultancy work, book deals and speeches since he left office in 2007.
However he said that much of his earnings is used to pay his staff of more than 200 people who support him in his unpaid works.
"I have to say that the reports of my wealth are greatly exaggerated. Just for the record, I read I'm supposed to be worth £100 million - Cherie's kind of asked me where it is," he said to laughter.
"I'm not worth half of that, a third of that, a quarter of that, a fifth of that - and I could go on. Actually I spend two-thirds of my time on unpaid work both in the Middle East - the Quartet role is ex officio, unpaid - and the foundations."
He said he was still as motivated by the desire to "make a difference" as when he first entered politics, rather than to make money.
"You should understand one thing about me, I haven't actually changed. Despite the way that people try to say that I have, I haven't changed. The same thing that motivated me when I stood here 20 years ago as Labour leader motivates me today," he said.
