Former British Prime-Minister Tony Blair has been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize in recognition of his ‘tireless efforts in working for peace and promoting democracy in the Middle East’ in his capacity as the region’s peace envoy, and representative of the Quartet of the UN, the US, the EU and Russia. Mr Blair’s name was put forward to the Norwegian Nobel Committee by former US President George W. Bush who also cited his role in liberating Iraq, helping to overthrow Saddam Hussein and for providing crucial evidence uncovering Saddam’s WMD programme. Blair’s nomination has been endorsed by other current and former world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who was also short-listed for the award, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi.
His nomination also received enthusiastic backing from other high profile figures including Peter Mandelson, Max Clifford, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Alex Ferguson, Roman Abramovich, Rebekah Brooks and Wendy Murdoch, the ex-wife of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch. According to his close aide and long-time confidante Alistair Campbell, ‘Tony feels that receiving the Nobel Prize would be an overdue recognition of his achievements as the Quartet’s representative, and would be a fitting high note on which to bow out of the role to pursue his other philanthropic interests.’
For Blair it would be a crowning achievement after winning the Save the Children Legacy Award last November and the GQ magazine’s Philanthropist of the Year in September. If successful he would join the ranks of other august Nobel laureates including Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama. Previous awards Blair has received include the Liberty Medal in 2010 and the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights in 2003.
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