Tony Blair rules an empire of money and power – which is it that interests him?

The former prime minister’s institute employs 800 people worldwide and is expected to provide staff and policy back-up to a Labour government, writes John Rentoul

What motivates him, at the age of 70, to work so hard? (PA)

Tony Blair’s post-prime ministerial career is different. Other prime ministers often stayed in parliament, usually the House of Lords (although Ted Heath stayed in the Commons for 27 years). Most of them engaged in charitable work. Some of them acquired a few directorships.

One, Alec Douglas-Home, continued to wield power in government, serving as foreign secretary in Heath’s government. But none has sought to create a power structure for themselves, independent of government, in the way that Blair has done with his Institute for Global Change.

Attention has focused on it recently, because the institute organised a “Future of Britain” conference last month, at which Blair appeared to anoint Keir Starmer a worthy successor. Blair said that the resources of his institute would be at the disposal of the Labour Party as it prepares for government, and indeed in government if elected.