WHEN Sir Tony Blair swept to victory in May 1997, he became the youngest Prime Minister in a century.
The former PM remains an active voice in UK politics, but how old is he, and what’s his net worth?
What is Tony Blair’s background?
Sir Tony was Labour‘s longest serving PM, and lead the party to three consecutive general election victories.
But before his meteoric rise to the top of politics, he had other ambitions.
Mr Blair went to Fettes public school in Edinburgh with dreams of becoming a rock music producer.
However, he chose to study law at Oxford, then trained as a barrister.
He then became an MP for Sedgefield in 1983, working his way up through the Labour Party to become Leader in 1994.
At the age of 43, just days before his birthday in May 1997, he became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
He held the position in Downing Street for ten years.
How old is Tony Blair?
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair was born in Edinburgh on May 6, 1953.
It makes the politician 69 years old.
Who is Tony Blair’s wife Cherie and do they have children?
Cherie Blair, who was born Cherie Booth, is a British barrister, judge and lecturer who grew up in Liverpool.
She is the daughter of the actor Tony Booth, best known as Alf Garnett’s son-in-law.
Tony and Cherie met when they were both pupil barristers.
They have four children.
Their son Euan worked at banking giant Morgan Stanley before founding a start-up, White Hat.
The company – which is now called Multiverse – was valued at £1.36 billion in a funding round in June 2022, The Times reported.
They also have football agent son, Nicky, a daughter Kathryn who is a lawyer, and their youngest son Leo.
Cherie is a QC who has appeared in a number of high profile court cases, and also worked as a patron of Breast Cancer Care.
In the 2013 New Year’s Honours, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to women’s issues and charity.
She was accused of being greedy in the property market, amid claims of rent-hiking at a block of flats owned by her family.
What is Tony Blair’s net worth?
Accounts of Blair’s wealth vary, with some estimates placing it as high as £100m.
However a Telegraph investigation discovered in 2015 that his personal fortune amounted to £60m.
The Blair family reportedly jumped on the property gravy train, snapping up more than two dozen flats in Manchester and amassing £27m worth of property, The Guardian reported.
Some commentators have noted that the property boom which made homes unaffordable for under 40s – but a cash cow for buy-to-let landlords – began accelerating during his time in office.
Their real estate portfolio included a house in London’s Connaught Square that cost them £3.65 in 2004 – now worth £8.4m.
What is Tony Blair doing now?
Blair is currently executive chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which states that since leaving office he has been “supporting governments to deliver effectively for their people, working for peace in the Middle East and countering extremism”.
A decade after he relinquished his role as PM, Blair announced a political comeback, saying he was motivated by Brexit.
He also hinted at starting up his own party and has taken an active role in a consultancy business, as well as running a foundation in his own name – the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.
He reportedly charges as much as £200,000 from a single speaking gig.
He has also made a series of digs at the ex-Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
In 2018 he said Mr Corbyn was alienating both sides of the Brexit debate with his muddled EU strategy.
Sir Tony was vocal during the Covid pandemic and was one of the first to advocate prioritising giving one jab rather than two doses of the vaccine.
In 2022 he was appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.
You can find out more about the honour he received here.
