Tony Blair was yesterday urged to give up £200,000 in annual payments he receives from British taxpayers

Tony Blair was yesterday urged to give up £200,000 in annual payments he receives from British taxpayers.

Critics said that having made so many millions that he is now shutting down his business empire, the former prime minister does not need the handout.

Mr Blair pockets £115,000 every year which is meant to fund his ‘public duties’, even though he spends little time in the UK.

He is also given around £80,000 towards his gold-plated pension.

Mr Blair, who has raked in millions from his global money-spinning consultancy since quitting Downing Street in 2007, announced on Tuesday that he was closing down his secretive web of commercial companies.

He said he would devote 80 per cent of his time from now on to working for free.

He is estimated to have amassed a fortune of between £60million and £100million in nine years.

Now critics say he should turn down money from the taxpayer – which amounts to more than £1.5million from the two sources over the years.

All former prime ministers can claim the special grant, known as the Public Duty Costs Allowance, towards costs such as travel and staffing expenses.

Last year, John Major, Gordon Brown and Mr Blair all charged the taxpayer for the maximum amount of £115,000.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Taxpayers will be astounded at the degree to which Tony Blair is still drawing on the public purse.

Last year, John Major, Gordon Brown and Mr Blair all charged the taxpayer for the maximum amount of £115,000

‘In an age where former premiers are now well remunerated on the backbenches or strut around on the world stage earning millions, they should think twice before imposing a further burden on taxpayers.’

Last night a spokesman for Mr Blair said: ‘The PDCA was arranged following Margaret Thatcher’s resignation and announced by John Major in March 1991.