MAIL ONLINE: Tony Blair has told friends he needs to earn at least £5million a year just to break even.
The former prime minister has been heavily criticised for cashing in on his contacts for personal gain and is thought to have made around £20million since leaving office.
But last night his former election agent John Burton claimed Mr Blair needed the astonishing annual income - and possibly much more - to pay spiralling wage bills at his growing list of companies and charities.
The revelation about his finances came as the former premier returned to the political fray with a lukewarm televised endorsement of Gordon Brown.
Mr Burton, one of Mr Blair's most loyal political friends, said: 'What I asked him was, you know he gets this criticism about what he earns. I said how many people do you employ? And he said 130.
'I mean it was 25 about two years ago and he said to me I have got to earn £5million a year to pay the wages, so God knows what he has got to earn now to pay the wages.'
Mr Burton's extraordinary claims mean average wages could be as high as £200,000 a year. And his figures suggest Mr Blair now needs to make £20million a year. Tony Blair: Why I need £5m every year just to get by >>> Jason Groves and Sam Greenhill | Wednesday, March 31, 2010
