Blair to sell life story
Friday, 17 August 2007 12:00 AM
Tony Blair is seeking a multi-million book deal for his life story.
The former prime minister has hired the American lawyer behind Bill Clinton's $12 million book deal and insiders predict Mr Blair will be able to achieve at least the same.
Robert Barnett secured the multi-million deal for Mr Clinton's My Life and is now overseeing bidding for his wife's memoirs, thought to be worth $8 billion.
As a partner at the Washington DC law firm Williams and Connolly, he has brokered advances for a number of Washington insiders, including Barack Obama and Lynee Cheney.
Mr Blair may have been encouraged by the impressive sales of his former spin doctor's diaries. Alastair Campbell's The Blair Years shot to the top of the bestseller list.
Although he did not keep a diary during his time at Downing Street, the former prime minister's personal account of Northern Ireland, Iraq and the 'special relationship' will be essential reading in Westminster.
Mr Campbell said he excised passages that reflected badly on Gordon Brown from the first edition of his book. It is not known whether Mr Blair would afford him the same protection or finally tell all about the so-called 'Granita deal'.
Either way, cynics are unlikely to be satisfied unless Mr Brown emerges as a scheming control freak.
Mr Blair's strong appeal in the US will increase his bidding power. Thanks to his close relationships with both Mr Clinton and George Bush, Mr Blair is popular with both Democrats and Republicans.
It is not yet known whether Mr Blair will write the book himself or hire a professional. A friend told the Guardian that it was "years off publication".
Harper Collins, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News International, is tipped as a likely publisher.
Mr Blair is also expected to exploit the lucrative US lecture circuit, where he could earn up to $100,000 a night as an after dinner speaker
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott is also negotiating a book deal and is expected to secure £500,000 for his life story.
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