--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tony Blair is paid $500,000 for one…" description: "\"Tony Blair is paid $500,000 for one speech, and no one asks how he is going to spend it.\" — Mo Ibrahim" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/mo-ibrahim-3354_asks_tony-blair-is-paid-500-000-for-one-speec_1585221.jpg" --- # Tony Blair is paid $500,000 for one speech, and no one… ![“Tony Blair is paid $500,000 for one speech, and no one asks how he is going to spend it.” quote by Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/mo-ibrahim-3354_asks_tony-blair-is-paid-500-000-for-one-speec_1585221.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/mo-ibrahim-3354_asks_tony-blair-is-paid-500-000-for-one-speec_1585221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d01/mo-ibrahim-3354_asks_tony-blair-is-paid-500-000-for-one-speec_1585221.jpg) > “Tony Blair is paid $500,000 for one speech, and no one asks how he is going to spend it.” [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. High fees for speeches raise questions about accountability and use of resources. **In simple terms:** Expensive speeches demand transparency. Key Takeaway Demand accountability. Themes ethics politics finance Mood critical questioning Type political commentary When to use this quote - speeches - public discourse - budgeting Key Concepts public speaking wealth political consulting Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from the payment? - How should speakers justify fees? A Different Perspective Cost does not guarantee value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [000 Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/000-speech-5995944/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blair/) [Blair Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blair-paid-5995943/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Paid 500](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid-500-398106/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Spend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend/) [Tony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tony/) [Tony blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tony-blair/) ## Related quotes > [I'm 51; I'm younger than Tony Blair. I don't have a dicky heart; I'm up like a broom handle in the morning. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-galloway/i-m-51-i-m-younger-than-tony-blair-i-don-t-have-a-dicky-heart-i-m-up/) [George Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-galloway/) > [The party of Tony Benn and Tony Blair has always been a broad church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-streeting/the-party-of-tony-benn-and-tony-blair-has-always-been-a-broad-church/) [Wes Streeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-streeting/) > [Tony Blair is not a villain, but he's played the part very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/tony-blair-is-not-a-villain-but-he-s-played-the-part-very-well/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [My journalistic mission was straightforward: to await the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Nobody knew quite when this would be. But the diplomacy - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-harding/my-journalistic-mission-was-straightforward-to-await-the-u-s-invasion/) [Luke Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-harding/) > [Tony Blair believed in a consumerist idea of democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-curtis/tony-blair-believed-in-a-consumerist-idea-of-democracy/) [Adam Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-curtis/) > [Is Tony Blair of the Labour party? The answer to that is profoundly 'yes', but that is not how, sentimentally, he is regarded in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-kinnock/is-tony-blair-of-the-labour-party-the-answer-to-that-is-profoundly/) [Neil Kinnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-kinnock/) > [I hesitated, too, because for better or worse, I have been one of the principal architects of New Labour and I have worked closely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mandelson/i-hesitated-too-because-for-better-or-worse-i-have-been-one-of-the/) [Peter Mandelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mandelson/) > [In a way I'm almost more rueful about the notion of having a non-ideological Labour party than I am about the personality of Tony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/in-a-way-i-m-almost-more-rueful-about-the-notion-of-having-a-non/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [I remember when Tony Blair came into office, and there was a sense I was thinking, 'Well, what on Earth am I going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-remember-when-tony-blair-came-into-office-and-there-was-a-sense-i/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [I'm no friend of Tony Blair's and I consider the Middle East policies of the United States and the UK fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-no-friend-of-tony-blair-s-and-i-consider-the-middle-east-policies/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [Tony Blair - good thing there are not parliamentary elections in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-ifill/tony-blair-good-thing-there-are-not-parliamentary-elections-in-this/) [Gwen Ifill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-ifill/) > [My guess is that good and bad parenting is spread fairly evenly across different social groups. But can you imagine Tony Blair lecturing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/my-guess-is-that-good-and-bad-parenting-is-spread-fairly-evenly/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [If there's one thing above all that sets me apart from Tony Blair it is this - I am not embarrassed to articulate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hague/if-there-s-one-thing-above-all-that-sets-me-apart-from-tony-blair-it/) [William Hague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hague/) > [I think Tony Blair has to come down on one side or the other. You can't be a half-hearted supporter of the possible attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/i-think-tony-blair-has-to-come-down-on-one-side-or-the-other-you-can/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [When I first met Tony Blair in 1996, he was open and idealistic, keen to bring a breath of fresh air to government. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/when-i-first-met-tony-blair-in-1996-he-was-open-and-idealistic-keen/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) ## More by Mo Ibrahim > [Experience counts in government even more than in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/experience-counts-in-government-even-more-than-in-business/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [It's time Africa started listening to our young people instead of always telling them what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/it-s-time-africa-started-listening-to-our-young-people-instead-of/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Remarkably, governments are beginning to embrace the idea that nothing enhances democracy more than giving voice and information to everybody in the country. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/remarkably-governments-are-beginning-to-embrace-the-idea-that-nothing/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [If economic progress is not translated into better quality of life and respect for citizens' rights, we will witness more Tahrir Squares in Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-economic-progress-is-not-translated-into-better-quality-of-life/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Africa is progressing but maybe not in the way you think it is. Even if the overall picture looks good, we must all remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/africa-is-progressing-but-maybe-not-in-the-way-you-think-it-is-even/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [People never confess to failure. They should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/people-never-confess-to-failure-they-should/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Governance has been at the heart of the work of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations and is a clear focus in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/governance-has-been-at-the-heart-of-the-work-of-the-oxford-martin/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [There's no point in trying to hoard money after life, so better really to share with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/there-s-no-point-in-trying-to-hoard-money-after-life-so-better-really/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [I need to be free, to speak the unspeakable. You can't do that in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/i-need-to-be-free-to-speak-the-unspeakable-you-can-t-do-that-in-office/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [If we cannot accurately measure poverty, we surely cannot accurately measure our efforts to tackle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/if-we-cannot-accurately-measure-poverty-we-surely-cannot-accurately/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Business is global. Countries need to react to that; taxes need to be paid where profit arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/business-is-global-countries-need-to-react-to-that-taxes-need-to-be/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [I don't subscribe to the narrative that Africa is backward because of colonialism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/i-don-t-subscribe-to-the-narrative-that-africa-is-backward-because-of/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Africa offers the highest return on investment in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/africa-offers-the-highest-return-on-investment-in-the-world/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Governance is everything. Without governance we have nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/governance-is-everything-without-governance-we-have-nothing/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [When you ask people what they think of Africa, they think of AIDS, genocide, disasters, famine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/when-you-ask-people-what-they-think-of-africa-they-think-of-aids/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) [Explore all 133 Mo Ibrahim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. 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If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. 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