Tony Blair has taken another veiled swipe at Ed Miliband by criticising MPs who have never had a proper job. The former prime minister said the ‘gene pool’ of political leaders had suffered because too few candidates have ‘real-life experience’. He suggested that too many graduates went straight from university to a job as a political researcher, before then becoming an MP – a path that may sound familiar to Mr Miliband. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is worth around £10 million - and has given away the same to charity . The Blairs' £9m country pile 'South Pavilion' - once owned by Sir John Gielgud - in Buckinghamshire . The current Labour leader was elected to the Commons nine years ago, having done little after his philosophy, politics and economics degree at Oxford – apart from working in the Treasury as a special adviser. Writing in the New York Times, Mr Blair, who worked as a barrister before becoming an MP, also complained that Westminster fails to attract the best candidates because politicians are not paid enough. Recent estimates suggest his own fortune could be as large as £100million – although he claims to be worth less than £20million. Mr Blair also attacked leaders who over-react to online controversies – just two weeks after Mr Miliband sacked his shadow attorney general, Emily Thornberry, after she sneered at a white van owner’s flag-covered home on Twitter. The comments come at a difficult time for Mr Miliband, who is facing questions over his failure to take a commanding lead in the polls against a Government that has introduced significant spending cuts. Last week, Mr Blair cast doubt on whether he could win the next election, saying Labour needed a ‘strong’ leader and suggesting that Mr Miliband had thrown away the chance of a ‘substantial majority’ by dragging the party to the left. Mr Blair criticised politicians who had never had a real job - seen in Westminster as a swipe at Labour leader Ed Miliband. He also attacked political leaders pandering to controversies built up online . Mr Blair urged political leaders not to give in to political storms. It comes after online outrage forced Ed Miliband to sack Emily Thornberry (pictured) from the shadow cabinet . Two months earlier, Mr Blair was forced to deny claims he had privately told allies that Mr Miliband ‘cannot beat’ David Cameron, due to his failure to connect with voters. The Blair family property empire is thought to have grown to at least nine homes - and is worth more than £10million alone. Last year the family bought a six-bedroom, six-storey, Grade-II listed Georgian terrace home for their son Euan - costing an eye-watering £3.6 million. They later added an adjoining mews house to expand the property. The purchase came after their eldest son got married last year at the Blairs' £9 million Buckinghamshire estate. The sprawling South Pavilion in Wotton Underwood - close to the Prime Minister's country retreat Chequers - was once owned by Sir John Gielgud. The family also bought Greenville Cottage, next-door. Euan's London townhouse cost almost as much as Tony and Cherie's £3.65 million Connaught Square house, dubbed a ‘mini Number 10 Downing Street’. Their other children Nicky and Kathryn were also lucky enough to have been bought homes in London - costing £1.35 million and £975,000 respectively. The former leader is also believed to have bought two two flats in this Panoramic Luxury Apartment Block on Park Row, Bristol. Mr Blair, who did not refer to Mr Miliband by name in his latest comments, wrote: ‘At the very time when leadership is needed, the gene pool of political leaders has shrunk. 'How many leaders and, for that matter, followers in a parliament or congress have real-life experience in responsible positions outside of politics? ‘Today it is very common for a young person interested in politics to graduate from university, go to work for a politician as a researcher or political analyst, and then transition straight into an elected position.’ The former prime minister said of his time as a barrister: ‘I learned about business and about people in a way that was greatly beneficial when I later came to govern. ‘In particular, I learned the difference between academic political ideas and policies suited to “real world” application.’ He went on to claim: ‘On top of this – and only an ex-politician can say this – politicians are not really well-paid by the standards of those who are successful in the private sector.’ British MPs currently earn £67,060, while the Prime Minister is paid £142,500. However, Mr Blair said this pay structure ‘restricts the attractions of a political career, at exactly the time when we most need the gene pool of our politicians to be varied, vibrant and vigorous’. He added that leaders’ challenges were ‘magnified by social media’ such as Twitter and Facebook. ‘Waves of emotion used to build to tidal strength relatively slowly,’ he said. ‘They now reach tsunami force within days, even hours.’ He criticised those who bow to online pressure, saying that social media ‘is exciting and can effect real and positive change, but it is also the domain of the loudmouth’. He added: ‘Those who shout loudest don’t necessarily deserve to be heard most.’ Mr Blair had faced mounting criticism for providing advice to dictators like Kazakhstan’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev (right) and Egypt’s military ruler Abdel el-Sisi (left) Tony Blair was interviewed in the US magazine Vanity Fair, which said his office admitted his net worth was £10million .
Former PM's office say he's given away half his fortune since leaving office .
It means Mr Blair is now worth around £10million since 2007 .
He has previously moved to deny claims he is worth up to £100million .
Mr Blair defends deals with dictators which are making him millions .
He refuses to rule out working for Russia's president Vladimir Putin .
Attacks politicians giving in to 'loudmouths' whipping up Twitter storms .
Criticises MPs who 'go to work for a politician  and then transition' to office .
Tony Blair has taken another veiled swipe at Ed Miliband by criticising MPs who have never had a proper job. The former prime minister said the ‘gene pool’ of political leaders had suffered because too few candidates have ‘real-life experience’. He suggested that too many graduates went straight from university to a job as a political researcher, before then becoming an MP – a path that may sound familiar to Mr Miliband. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is worth around £10 million - and has given away the same to charity . The Blairs' £9m country pile 'South Pavilion' - once owned by Sir John Gielgud - in Buckinghamshire . The current Labour leader was elected to the Commons nine years ago, having done little after his philosophy, politics and economics degree at Oxford – apart from working in the Treasury as a special adviser. Writing in the New York Times, Mr Blair, who worked as a barrister before becoming an MP, also complained that Westminster fails to attract the best candidates because politicians are not paid enough. Recent estimates suggest his own fortune could be as large as £100million – although he claims to be worth less than £20million. Mr Blair also attacked leaders who over-react to online controversies – just two weeks after Mr Miliband sacked his shadow attorney general, Emily Thornberry, after she sneered at a white van owner’s flag-covered home on Twitter. The comments come at a difficult time for Mr Miliband, who is facing questions over his failure to take a commanding lead in the polls against a Government that has introduced significant spending cuts. Last week, Mr Blair cast doubt on whether he could win the next election, saying Labour needed a ‘strong’ leader and suggesting that Mr Miliband had thrown away the chance of a ‘substantial majority’ by dragging the party to the left. Mr Blair criticised politicians who had never had a real job - seen in Westminster as a swipe at Labour leader Ed Miliband. He also attacked political leaders pandering to controversies built up online . Mr Blair urged political leaders not to give in to political storms. It comes after online outrage forced Ed Miliband to sack Emily Thornberry (pictured) from the shadow cabinet . Two months earlier, Mr Blair was forced to deny claims he had privately told allies that Mr Miliband ‘cannot beat’ David Cameron, due to his failure to connect with voters. The Blair family property empire is thought to have grown to at least nine homes - and is worth more than £10million alone. Last year the family bought a six-bedroom, six-storey, Grade-II listed Georgian terrace home for their son Euan - costing an eye-watering £3.6 million. They later added an adjoining mews house to expand the property. The purchase came after their eldest son got married last year at the Blairs' £9 million Buckinghamshire estate. The sprawling South Pavilion in Wotton Underwood - close to the Prime Minister's country retreat Chequers - was once owned by Sir John Gielgud. The family also bought Greenville Cottage, next-door. Euan's London townhouse cost almost as much as Tony and Cherie's £3.65 million Connaught Square house, dubbed a ‘mini Number 10 Downing Street’. Their other children Nicky and Kathryn were also lucky enough to have been bought homes in London - costing £1.35 million and £975,000 respectively. The former leader is also believed to have bought two two flats in this Panoramic Luxury Apartment Block on Park Row, Bristol. Mr Blair, who did not refer to Mr Miliband by name in his latest comments, wrote: ‘At the very time when leadership is needed, the gene pool of political leaders has shrunk. 'How many leaders and, for that matter, followers in a parliament or congress have real-life experience in responsible positions outside of politics? ‘Today it is very common for a young person interested in politics to graduate from university, go to work for a politician as a researcher or political analyst, and then transition straight into an elected position.’ The former prime minister said of his time as a barrister: ‘I learned about business and about people in a way that was greatly beneficial when I later came to govern. ‘In particular, I learned the difference between academic political ideas and policies suited to “real world” application.’ He went on to claim: ‘On top of this – and only an ex-politician can say this – politicians are not really well-paid by the standards of those who are successful in the private sector.’ British MPs currently earn £67,060, while the Prime Minister is paid £142,500. However, Mr Blair said this pay structure ‘restricts the attractions of a political career, at exactly the time when we most need the gene pool of our politicians to be varied, vibrant and vigorous’. He added that leaders’ challenges were ‘magnified by social media’ such as Twitter and Facebook. ‘Waves of emotion used to build to tidal strength relatively slowly,’ he said. ‘They now reach tsunami force within days, even hours.’ He criticised those who bow to online pressure, saying that social media ‘is exciting and can effect real and positive change, but it is also the domain of the loudmouth’. He added: ‘Those who shout loudest don’t necessarily deserve to be heard most.’ Mr Blair had faced mounting criticism for providing advice to dictators like Kazakhstan’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev (right) and Egypt’s military ruler Abdel el-Sisi (left) Tony Blair was interviewed in the US magazine Vanity Fair, which said his office admitted his net worth was £10million .
Miliband by criticising MPs who have never had a Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is worth around £10 million - and has given away the same to give in to political storms. It comes after Two months earlier, Mr Blair was forced to deny claims he had privately told allies that Mr to graduate from university, go to work for a and then transition straight into an elected magazine Vanity Fair, which said his office