Blair to donate book profits to centre for injured soldiers

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Update: Leadership candidate Diane Abbott has praised Blair’s decision. Speaking to the BBC this afternoon, she said:

“I’ve only ever criticised Tony Blair on political questions, he’s giving a large sum of money to a worthy cause and I think he has to be praised for that.”

Asked whether or not this suggested that Blair had a guilty conscience, she said:

“It’s not for you or I to enquire into Tony Blair’s conscience, but some people will find a link between Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Tony Blair will donate all of the profits from his upcoming autiobiography “A Journey” to a sports centre for inured soldiers, the BBC is reporting this afternoon. The payment will include the reported £4.6 million advance. A spokesperson said:

“As Prime Minister he witnessed that for himself in Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone and Kosovo. This is his way of honouring their courage and sacrifice.”

“We have been consulting with a number of people and organisations to decide the best support he can give. There is one project consistently highlighted: The Royal British Legion’s Battle Back Challenge Centre.”

“As Tony Blair said to the House of Commons on his last day in office: ‘I believe that they [the Armed Forces] are fighting for the security of this country and the wider world against people who would destroy our way of life. But whatever view people take of my decisions, I think that there is only one view to take of them: they are the bravest and the best.'”