Tony Blair raises £1 million for Labour to stave off union influence

Blair is reportedly worried about the effect of heavy union influence on Labour

A new row erupted within the Labour Party last night, after it emerged that former Labour PM Tony Blair had managed to raise £1 million for Labour from private business.

It was revealed by the Sunday Times that Blair had negotiated with Assem Allam, owner of Hull City FC. Allam agreed to donate £500,000 to the Labour Party immediately, with another £500,000 to be donated if the Unite Union withdrew funding from Labour.

Blair and the unions have long been engaged in a war of words since the former Labour PM left office. Len Mckluskey recently attacked Blair as a "War criminal", and has publicly advocated for Blair's Progress faction to be expelled from Labour, whilst Blair has publicly condemned what he calls the "Excessive influence" of unions following the Falkirk scandal.

It is thought that Labour figures have privately welcome the donation, seeing it as backing from business in an environment that is otherwise hostile to Ed Miliband's Labour Party. Blair himself is reportedly set to step down as middle east envoy, to devote his full time to his faith foundation and political endeavours.