Blair rich project.

Byline: Joan Burnie

ARISE President Blair, soon, if rumours are true, to reign over us awfully happy and terribly glorious, from Brussels.

There are a few small details to be ironed out, such as the wages which, at a mere pounds 242,000, won't please Cherie.

But there are perks, such as private plane, limos, free palatial accommodation, fawning and, of course, the endless eccies to which Tone will be entitled.

And Mr Blair certainly knows how to work them, doesn't he? There was that pounds 7000 he claimed for roof repairs on his constituency home, a whole 48 hours before he left Parliament.

The house is now on the market for pounds 300,000, 10 times what he paid for it, although he did remortgage it for pounds 296,000 in 2004, which means us mugs paid at least some of his interest.

Exactly how much is unclear as, and I know this is a total coincidence, someone shredded all the relevant documents.

Not, natch, that there could have been anything untoward about them. Perish the thought.

As Tony himself told us, he's an honest, straightforward kind of guy. The question, however, is can the EU afford to have him as their head honcho? After all, when TB was our Prime Minister, he was far more interested in turning GB into the 51st State and dragging us into Iraq - something Europe was against.

I realise our wishes don't count with those who run Europe, but before they wave Tony aboard his gravy train, perhaps they should recall such small matters.

Still there is a cloud in every lining. If it is to be President Blair, perhaps they'll take over the pounds 2million-a-year cost of providing heavies to protect him.

CAPTION(S):

PRESIDENT? Tony Blair