The Curse of Blair

When Tony Blair was just setting out on his journey up the greasy pole of politics it was said that he received financial support from the wealthy Tchenguiz family. These brothers were certainly amongst the first of the ultra wealthy to give their support to the future Prime Minister.

In office, Mr Blair certainly demonstrated some loyalty to them in return: he actively lobbied the Polish government to back a bid which the brothers' energy company, Rotch Energy made for the Polish Refineria Gdanska. This was to the irritation of the government in Warsaw, who believed -with some justification it may be said- that the Rotch bid was simply a front for larger Russian interests to acquire a strategic Polish asset.

The news of the arrest of the two brothers will therefore presumably be of some concern to Mr. Blair.