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| GQ Men of the Year Awards: Tony Blair is named 'Philanthropist of the Year' | |
| (7 days later) | |
| Tony Blair has been named ‘Philanthropist of the Year’ at the GQ Men Of The Year awards – an announcement which drew a collective bemused gasp across the internet. | Tony Blair has been named ‘Philanthropist of the Year’ at the GQ Men Of The Year awards – an announcement which drew a collective bemused gasp across the internet. |
| Former Prime Minister Blair received the accolade for his establishing three charities: The Tony Blair Sports Foundation, his Faith Foundation and his Africa Governance Initiative. | Former Prime Minister Blair received the accolade for his establishing three charities: The Tony Blair Sports Foundation, his Faith Foundation and his Africa Governance Initiative. |
| According to GQ, Blair told the glitzy audience: “I would like to dedicate this award to the people that work with and for my organisations. I feel the pulse of progress beating a little harder.” | According to GQ, Blair told the glitzy audience: “I would like to dedicate this award to the people that work with and for my organisations. I feel the pulse of progress beating a little harder.” |
| The ceremony was held at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden last night and also saw gongs bestowed on Peter Capaldi for best TV Personality, Christopher Bailey for best Designer, while Kim Kardashian walked away with the ‘Woman of the Year’ award. | The ceremony was held at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden last night and also saw gongs bestowed on Peter Capaldi for best TV Personality, Christopher Bailey for best Designer, while Kim Kardashian walked away with the ‘Woman of the Year’ award. |
| Blair, who is oft-criticised for his role in bringing war to the Middle East in 2003, is also a Special Envoy for the Quartet Representative, a mandate set up to facilitate peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine. | Blair, who is oft-criticised for his role in bringing war to the Middle East in 2003, is also a Special Envoy for the Quartet Representative, a mandate set up to facilitate peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine. |
| In 2012 the Quartet was mocked for being “useless, useless, useless” by senior Palestinian officials, which condemned it for being full of “constructive ambiguity that really took us to nowhere”. | In 2012 the Quartet was mocked for being “useless, useless, useless” by senior Palestinian officials, which condemned it for being full of “constructive ambiguity that really took us to nowhere”. |
| The former Labour leader’s award was condemned by an MP from his own party: “It sends the wrong message. This sort of award should go to an unsung hero who has given up their time for charity,” John Mann MP said, according to the MailOnline. | The former Labour leader’s award was condemned by an MP from his own party: “It sends the wrong message. This sort of award should go to an unsung hero who has given up their time for charity,” John Mann MP said, according to the MailOnline. |
| Apparently, Tony Blair has won GQ's philanthropist of the year award. Finally these awards have grasped irony! | Apparently, Tony Blair has won GQ's philanthropist of the year award. Finally these awards have grasped irony! |
| Tony Blair just won philanthropist of the year at the #GQAwards No boos but a muted response it's fair to say! | Tony Blair just won philanthropist of the year at the #GQAwards No boos but a muted response it's fair to say! |
| People shouldn't be so angry with GQ. I also often confuse the words "philanthropist" and "war monger" #tonyblair | People shouldn't be so angry with GQ. I also often confuse the words "philanthropist" and "war monger" #tonyblair |
| Nobody on Twitter is going to write a funnier joke than Tony Blair being named Philanthropist of the Year. Well played, real life. | Nobody on Twitter is going to write a funnier joke than Tony Blair being named Philanthropist of the Year. Well played, real life. |
| Tory MP Charlie Elphicke added: “It is jaw dropping that he should be given this award given his involvement in spinning the alleged brutal massacre in Kazakhstan.” | Tory MP Charlie Elphicke added: “It is jaw dropping that he should be given this award given his involvement in spinning the alleged brutal massacre in Kazakhstan.” |
| Last month, it was revealed that Blair had given PR advice to the President of Kazakhstan, the latter of whom was giving a speech defending his country’s human rights record in light of the deaths of unarmed protesters at the hands of police. | Last month, it was revealed that Blair had given PR advice to the President of Kazakhstan, the latter of whom was giving a speech defending his country’s human rights record in light of the deaths of unarmed protesters at the hands of police. |
| The Tony Blair Sports Foundation aims to get more young people involved in sports and physical activity by recruiting and training coaches, while his Faith Foundation attempts to “counter religious prejudice, conflict and extremism in order to promote an open-minded and stable society”. | The Tony Blair Sports Foundation aims to get more young people involved in sports and physical activity by recruiting and training coaches, while his Faith Foundation attempts to “counter religious prejudice, conflict and extremism in order to promote an open-minded and stable society”. |
| Full list of the GQ winners is below: | Full list of the GQ winners is below: |
| Comedian: John Bishop | Comedian: John Bishop |
| Editor's Special: Liam Neeson | Editor's Special: Liam Neeson |
| Chef: Tom Kerridge | Chef: Tom Kerridge |
| Designer: Christopher Bailey | Designer: Christopher Bailey |
| International Man: Jonah Hill | International Man: Jonah Hill |
| Writer: Michael Lewis | Writer: Michael Lewis |
| Philanthropist: Tony Blair | Philanthropist: Tony Blair |
| Breakthrough Fashion Designers: Agi and Sam | Breakthrough Fashion Designers: Agi and Sam |
| TV Personality: Peter Capaldi | TV Personality: Peter Capaldi |
| Innovator: Ewan Venters | Innovator: Ewan Venters |
| Inspiration: New Order | Inspiration: New Order |
| Hugo Boss Most Stylish Man: Douglas Booth | Hugo Boss Most Stylish Man: Douglas Booth |
| Sportsman: Lewis Hamilton | Sportsman: Lewis Hamilton |
| Actor: Benedict Cumberbatch | Actor: Benedict Cumberbatch |
| Entrepreneur: Andre Balazs | Entrepreneur: Andre Balazs |
| Special Achievement: Paolo Nutini | Special Achievement: Paolo Nutini |
| Breakthrough: Jamie Dornan | Breakthrough: Jamie Dornan |
| Legend: Van Morrison | Legend: Van Morrison |
| Solo Artist: Pharrell Williams | Solo Artist: Pharrell Williams |
| Leading Man: Colin Firth | Leading Man: Colin Firth |
| Humanitarian: Ringo Starr | Humanitarian: Ringo Starr |
| Woman: Kim Kardashian | Woman: Kim Kardashian |
| Icon: Iggy Pop | Icon: Iggy Pop |
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