As long as Blair's earnings are legally reported and taxes paid, there is no case against him. Earning more than Bill Clinton in his first year is no black mark, given inflation since 2000. If he neglects his unpaid role, then at least he's being paid what he's worth.

Dennis Eagan, Colorado Springs, US

Tony Blair came to power in 1997 with the theme song "Things than only get better". 11 years on only one person in this country can say that promise has come true, Tony Blair. For the rest of the nation his and Labour's years of negligence and mismanagement have been an utter disaster.

Simon , London, UK

Blair should not be paid a penny for what he has helped to do in the Middle East. Instead he should be hauled before a war crimes tribunal. How anyone seriously thinks he can make a difference to that sorely troubled area of the world is beyond me, and I'm obviously not the only one who is baffled.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Pure celebrity greed

Peter Ryder, Middlewich, UK

£12 nillion to listen to Blair: If I had that kind of money, I'd have paid it not to listen to him.

Robert, Hull, UK

How disgusting! How many tories including Maggie + her brood have coined it in once they dumped their jobs + left the wreckage behind? It seems ok for Tories to rake it in but how dare 'socialists' do the same. Why bring deceased soldiers into this? You are cheapening their sad deaths SH in Leeds.

A Thomas, Lanchester,

How much TAX has he paid on this princely sum? Please Timesonline can you enquire and publish HOW MUCH TAX HAS HE PAID?

Jo, Warrington, England

Who would have thought you could make so much money telling the rich and famous how you royally shafted the once Great Britain

dave, london, uk

It costs only a few British soldiers killed in Iraq to earn this fees for Blair, well done!

SH, Leeds,

If he and his religion can live with it he's welcome to it. I sleep in bed at night without an armed guard and the majority of the country despising me.

rob, ashbourne, uk

As the olld adage goes, `fools and their money are soon parted`, I wouldn`t go to hear him speak if he paid me !

Mabel Taylor, Knutsford, U.K.

It is no wonder as to why many people lose faith in people's humanity when they hear such stories of a man who proclaims to be righteous, act so corruptly.

Kazuki, Tokyo, Japan

He hasn’t earned our respect.
His ‘‘achievements’’ have come to nothing as we can see.

K Urban, London, UK

You might just want to check out how much of his earnings go to the charitable institutions he has set up. He is a great ambassador for Britain. The comments that he is ineffectual in his Middle East role dont stack up. A problem which has been ongoing since 1948 will not be resolved in 12 months.

Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain

His reputation is falling faster than Baldwin's in 1939. Perhaps we need another Michael Foot to write a 'Guilty Men' book for the 21st century. This time the book should set out chapter and verse the economic crimes of the political elite who took us into this mess.

John, Bridgend, UK

Funny old world isn't it. Due to life not treating me too well, I have to get by on less than 5K a year (yes, you read that correctly). I can't even begin to imagine the 'jobs for the boys' world he and his ilk live in.

David, Lincoln,

Tony Blair knows how to eran money and he deserves it.
The people who are jealous are very small minded people.

Dr N C ADDY , Hempstead, Kent

And at the same time the wounded servicemen he sent to be mutilated struggle to get by. What a guy!

David Masu, Zürich, Switzerland

At a time when many in Britain will be facing economic hardship, with pension funds having lost billions, and fathers, husbands dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, this type of news is hard to swallow. The behaviour of Cherie and Tony Blair is fast becoming a national disgrace.

Miles, George Town,

Perhaps he will feel the need to cleanse his soul with huge donations to the maimed and refugees of Iraq. But then that is hardly to be expected of this vile and self-serving man.

martyn, Calvia, spain

Why not give your buddy BROWN a loan

Asw, Hong Kong,

Hope the taxman is taking note of all this ! What a wonderful little socialist he has turned into !

OZ, Perth, Australia

He has always worked for American interests - now they are at least paying him for doing so.

steve, London, UK

WOW

Bliar is Zurich Financial Services global warming advisor

That must take up a lot of his time!

"Hello Zurich - yes it's the sun. Can i have the ca$h now?"

billy, cardiff, Wales

And what of whitewash with the Ecclestone scandal.
"Oh yes" he's laughing after leaving the country in a total mess.

BROWN his sidekick is green with envy and is planning the same route leaving a bigger mess for the next government.

Asw, Hong Kong,

So does Mr Blair's Christianity and sense of fairness and righteousness not see the hypocrisy of selling his soul for absurd amounts of cash for a few pathetic platitudes and advice, when billions starve? Or is the cash just too much for him to resist? Surely he should ask a fair & modest fee?

julie, newcastle,

It's unbelievable that anyone would pay to hear him. What has he got to say? He was the first PM to take us to war over a lie? He knows how to deceive the public and the media? He presided over the worst post-war government? It makes no sense.

Dwight Vandryver, Scholar Green, UK

More fool those who are prepared to pay good money to listen to this egocentric New Labourtie. Surpising, too, given his past association with the Carlyle Group which did not serve the British taxpayer too well, to say the least.

Colin Cumner, Adelaide, South Australia

How ironic. I wonder how much Bush will earn?

Samuel, Sydney, Australia

What,s wrong with Blair making money.He will have pretty serious competition pretty soon in the person of GWB

Phil, NYC, USA

After decades in the public sector, the former PM is finally off the public payroll and earning a decent salary from the private sector. While both these facts should be celebrated, I just wish Mr. Blair was not so closely tied with the Carlyle Group.

Samir Kaiser, Cambridge,, England

Thats good - I assume he's paying tax in the UK?

Mike, Sydney,

Hes still got a War to account for. Thank you, Saint Tony.

ronnie, Bridego Bridge, UK