Save the Children staff furious over 'morally reprehensible' award for Tony Blair

Save the Children faces a revolt by its staff after it gave a “global legacy” award to Tony Blair.

More than 200 of the charity’s employees have signed an internal letter condemning the “morally reprehensible” decision to give the honour to the former prime minister at a ceremony in New York.

The move places in jeopardy the charity’s “credibility”, it warns.

Justin Forsyth, the charity’s UK chief executive, was a special adviser to Mr Blair for three years. His chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, sits on the board.

Mr Blair was given the award by the charity’s US branch in recognition of his “leadership on international development”, with particular reference to his work on debt relief and the Make Poverty History campaign at the G8 in 2005.

It also reflected his decision to establish the Department for International Development and increase British overseas aid.

The critics pointed out that the US-led invasion of Iraq resulted in the deaths of thousands of children.

“We consider this award inappropriate and a betrayal to Save the Children’s founding principles and values. Management staff in the region were not communicated with nor consulted about the award and were caught by surprise with this decision,” the letter, seen by The Guardian, said.

Accepting the award, Mr Blair said: “From the beginning of humankind there has been brutality, conflict, intrigue, the destructive obsession with a narrow self-interest. But throughout all human history, never has been extinguished that relentless, unquenchable desire to do good. To act not only in self-interest and sometimes to even to act in defiance of it.”

The audience included Hollywood stars Ben Affleck and Dakota Fanning.

Mr Blair’s spokesman said he was “deeply honoured and moved” to receive the award.