Tony Blair in talks with Tesco over £1m deal as supermarket eyes Middle East

Dual role: Tony Blair, pictured as peace envoy in the West Bank, has been in talks with Tesco

Tony Blair faced fresh questions over his role as Middle East envoy yesterday after it was claimed he had been in talks to help Tesco open stores in the region for a fee of £1million.



His proposed job for the supermarket giant would apparently have been to act as a figurehead for the group's bid to break into the Middle East market.



His discussions with the store - slogan: 'Every little helps' - were said to have gone on for five months but ended without agreement.



Sources close to Mr Blair told The Mail on Sunday the talks did not break down over money, but over another issue, on which they did not elaborate.



The revelation added to growing questions about the mixing of Mr Blair's various money-spinning commercial ventures and his taxpayerfunded political role.



His work as a peace envoy representing world powers brings him no salary but his expenses are picked up by taxpayers.



He travels to the Middle East for a week every month meeting decision-makers to discuss peace initiatives. But he also finds time to hold meetings wearing his

commercial hat representing big businesses.



While there is no suggestion of any impropriety, some of his critics claim it can be difficult to see where Mr Blair's political work ends and his private endeavours begin.

Tesco has successfully exported its brand to more than 2,000 stores worldwide but has so far failed to follow the likes of Marks & Spencer into the Middle East.



Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy was a Government adviser, and was knighted under Mr Blair's premiership.



There is no suggestion Mr Blair was seeking to use Tesco to profit from his activities as a peace envoy.



'Every little helps': Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy was an adviser to the Blair government

Mr Blair's spokesman declined to comment on his proposed work for the supermarket, but issued a statement saying: 'Tesco is a great British company. However, Tony Blair and Tony Blair Associates have never done any work on behalf of Tesco.



'Tony Blair does not have any commercial relationship with Tesco and has not made any representations on their behalf.



'The vast majority of Mr Blair's time is taken up by his unpaid activities, principally his role as Quartet Representative (for the United Nations, European Union, Russia and United States) in the Middle East, advocating on issues such as climate change and Africa and with the work of his faith and sports foundations.'



Tesco chiefs were understood to have been 'deeply disappointed' when they were unable to reach agreement with Mr Blair.



A statement from Tesco said: 'We wouldn't comment on which advisers we may or may not talk to or speculation about potential markets for Tesco.'



The ex-PM, currently seeing his chances dwindling of becoming Europe's first President, has endured an uncomfortable spotlight thrown on his finances.



At the weekend, the complex web of official duties, secretive private companies and business deals that makes life after Downing Street so lucrative for him were disclosed.



Mr Blair has made an estimated £15million from his commercial activities since stepping down as prime minister in 2007, and there is every sign that his earning capacity is increasing.