THE ADVERTISING executive responsible for the Conservative party’s “demon eyes” campaign against Tony Blair has been recruited as a director of the former prime minister’s new faith foundation.

Jeremy Sinclair, 60, a Tory loyalist and one of the founding partners of advertising agency M&C Saatchi, was named last week as one of two directors of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. The charity will aim to improve links and understanding between world faiths.

Despite its benevolent goals, Labour stalwarts may find it hard to forgive Sinclair’s role in the run-up to the 1997 election. He is credited with devising the iconic campaign in which red glowing eyes were superimposed on Blair’s face.

Blair was outraged by the campaign, which was criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority. He said at the time: “It is nasty, it is vicious, it is negative. It is all the things that you would expect from the Conservative party.”

Sinclair, who lists his interests as “spiritualism”, has worked for brothers Maurice and Charles Saatchi since he was a junior copywriter. He is now chairman of M&C Saatchi.

Blair, who is reported to be considering converting to Catholicism, has said he wants to “get the faiths together and show people faith is relevant to the world”.

Ruth Turner, the former Downing Street aide who was a key figure in the cash for honours investigation, now works for Blair and will help coordinate the work of the foundation.

A spokesman for Blair said last week offices had been found in central London for the former premier and his staff.

It is not clear how the faith foundation will be funded, but Blair’s personal earnings are likely to increase significantly in the coming months. He is being hired out as a speaker by an American agency, the Wash-ington Speakers Bureau, and his first engagement is expected this month.

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