Apprendo dal Times questa curiosa notizia:

Tony Blair is making between £500,000 and £1m a month from public speaking engagements, matching the earning power of President Bill Clinton.

Sources close to Blair, who left Downing Street last June, say he is delivering up to five speeches a month, with a typical fee of between £100,000 and £200,000.

Blair, who is also working unpaid as a Middle East peace envoy, is to embark on his most lucrative speaking tour in January, when he is likely to make as much as £500,000 in America and Canada for three speeches in four days.

On January 14 he will address 5,000 people at the Gibson Amphitheatre, a rock music venue in Universal City, near Los Angeles, for the American Jewish University. The most expensive ticket, at $2,500 (£1,200), includes the chance to join the former prime minister and other speakers at a cocktail reception and dinner, and to have a picture taken with him.

Tickets are being sold for up to $1,000 to hear him speak the next day at the Californian millionaires’ resort of Indian Wells. Tim Parrott, executive director of the Desert Town Hall lecture series, said Blair currently had greater pulling power than Clinton, who earned £15m for speeches in the four years after he left the White House.

“There is great interest in how he managed to get along so well with two presidents, one liberal, one conservative,” Parrott said. “His Middle East peace role will ensure he remains in demand for years to come.”

On January 17 Blair will address 2,000 people at the Westin Harbour Castle, overlooking Lake Ontario, in Toronto. The event is sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group.

One sponsor said: “Blair has been at the centre of the world’s most important geopolitical events for 10 years. People here want to know what he has to say about his role as a Middle East peace envoy.”

Last month it was reported that Blair received up to £240,000 for one 20-minute speech in China. Cherie Blair typically charges about £15,000 a speech.

If he manages to maintain his high profile, the Blairs should easily be able to service and pay off the mortgages of almost £4m on their properties in Connaught Square, in London, Bristol and Sedgefield, Co Durham.

Praticamente, il pensionato Tony Blair, ogni tanto va a fare qualche chiacchierata pubblica. E guadagna…eccome, se guadagna. Una stima di 7300 euro al minuto: altro che Cristiano Ronaldo. Com’è bello andare in pensione giovani e con un bel curriculum…