Thinking Paper #176 - Is Tony worth £169,076 a year, and what do we get for our money?

Abstract

New figures from the mouth of Francis Maude show that Big Tony claimed loadsa cash since leaving office, just for being awesome. But is he worth it?




Is Tony worth £169,076 a year?

Tony Blair has claimed £273,000 on the taxpayer since Gordon elbowed him out, ostensibly for work including answering letters and attending public events. Until the IIPBA heard the news, released in a Parliamentary Question to a weird looking man called Philip Hollobone, we didn't even know Tony responded to letters. We wonder if he might like a place on the IIPBA advisory board? Action Ron.

But, really, is the £169,076 Tony claimed in 2008-9 such a bad thing, if you consider that without it we might not get to see his tanned face in appearances at memorial services, and occasional nostalgic talking head spots on telly?

It won't be a surprise to regular readers that the IIPBA misses Tony, and we're glad we can give something back to him. He would've been so disappointed when he wasn't made President of Europe, and a maximum of 0.3p per per person per year hopefully goes some way towards telling him how awesome he is. We hope there is also a Mandelson Fund.

Conclusion

Yes, he's definitely worth it. We get his smile, the warm feeling he gives us inside, and the hope that he remembers who we are when he's hanging out with all his new friends. Without the Tony Fund, all we'd have would be standing in Connaught Square indefinitely, peering into cars with tinted windows as they zoom past.