Is it fair that Tony Blair is still benefiting from his time in office?
Yesterday's revelation that Tony Blair has signed a six-figure deal with Lansdowne Partners which will see him deliver four private speeches to the company's employees has prompted a very difficult and very controversial argument in the marketplace. Should leading political figures be allowed to use the contacts they built up during their time in office for personal gain after leaving the government?
The truth is that once a politician leaves office they themselves need to survive and they need income to live. The fact that their standard of living and their level of income is way beyond that of the general population the UK is a factor which attracts controversy. However, ultimately if there is demand for their skills in the private sector then is it really wrong for them to fulfil this demand?
One of the main problems appears to be the fact that Tony Blair, for example, has benefited enormously from his contacts in the financial sector at a time when the UK government, incidentally, is attacking the sector and attempting to rein in its power. Maybe this is the main reason why yesterday's announcement caused so much controversy and maybe this is an overreaction?
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