Blair may take on role of EU president, say allies

Mr Blair's allies have previously played down the prospect of the former British prime minister taking the new €267,000-a-year post of president of the European Council, created under the new EU treaty now going through parliament.

Since leaving Downing Street, Mr Blair has picked up a job with the investment bank JP Morgan reportedly worth €2.7m a year and is advising Zurich Insurance on its climate change initiative for an estimated €668,000 a year.