UK: Blair’s post PM religious career plans criticized

From British daily The Independent:

MPs pour scorn on Blair’s new mission to act as ‘faith healer’

By Marie Woolf, Political Editor

Published: 06 May 2007

Tony Blair is preparing a mission to build bridges between the major world religions when he leaves office, and plans to act as an ambassador for multi-faith dialogue in Britain and abroad.

Friends of the Prime Minister have told The Independent on Sunday that he is planning to set up a Blair Foundation soon after leaving No 10, and one of its main aims will be to promote communication between Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

But the plan has been greeted with incredulity among MPs who say he has done more to create divisions between Islam and the West than any Prime Minister in living memory.

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat MP, said: “He may want to build bridges between the world religions but the fact is he has already burnt them.

He has been seen to be partisan in the Middle East, slavishly following Bush, and will have no credibility with the Islamic world.

It shows how deluded he is. His bridge will at best be a pier.”

Remember Blair invoking God in support of the Iraq war?

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