Tony Blair wants friend of the Saudis to raise money from faith donors and discuss policy with them - are we really that keen on political suicide?

So this must be news to just about every single Labour Party member, but apparently we are about to have the very definition of a man hooked into privilege and a regular liaison of ethically dubious international organisations, not to mention vile governments (strong links to that lovely bunch, the Saudi Royal Family), Anthony Bailey, having a big say in how we as a party raise money AND reach out to faith communities. That is, it is very likely he could be involved in both discussing getting money from religious donors and discussing policy with them at the same time.  From the report in the Guardian:

"...is to chair Labour's Faith Task Force when it launches in July. Separately, he will also tap his network of contacts for donations to boost Labour's depleted coffers."

If you search "our" Labour Party web site for any details of our new "faiths task force" you will find nothing, but Jamie Doward of the Guardian says Tony Blair wants him to chair the task force. (Thanks for the legacy Tone!).

Read this biography of Bailey and see what you think. It looks he is already a governor of three secondary schools (wonder how many meetings he gets to?) through his role in the United Learning Trust which has remarkably been given the right to run 12 city academies with more in the pipeline.

You know, I've only just seen this story but on first reading it's hard to see any positives for Labour coming out of this but you can imagine it stirring up a shower of s*** - and for what reason?  If this appointment goes though I fear it is a ticking time bomb on our prospects of winning the next general election. In fact, Gordon Brown better show some early signs of enlightened leadership and block this appointment asap.

Comments

[chunkylimey]

I really want to know who does the Saudi leaderships PR. How can a bunch of dictatorial fundamentalist nut jobs have so many friends in "rational" post-enlightenment nations. Oil alone can't buy that kind of love.

[The Labour Humanist]

I really wouldn't be surprised to find out that the same person/people who work to help to improve the image of the cruel and wicked saudi royal family will be writing for this task force telling us the insights into morality that people with faith hold that is beyond all of us non-believers out there - and say it without any sense of shame or irony.

[Gillian Warming]

Enjoying this and as a young man he was also a Tory. He does not though do the Saudi PR, I think that is Tory Lord Bell who also does the Syrian PR. Seems Bailey's work for the Saudi's relate to painting and patronage www.paintingandpatronage.com which seems worthy enough and for the Syrians it seems his work was for promoting the UK Government's Women in Business initiative which held a conference there a year or so ago promoting the values of women in business. Not as scarey as the article might have implied.