Daily View: Blair's book donation to charity

Commentators discuss Tony Blair's announcement that the reported £4m advance and all royalties from his forthcoming autobiography will go to the British Legion's charity for injured soldiers.

The Wall Street Journal's Iain Martin suggests that whatever the motive behind Mr Blair's decision, it will have been influenced by the public's perception of him:

"The destruction of trust continues to dog Blair and colors views of all that he does."

Michael White in the Guardian agrees, saying that the former PM is well aware of the damage that the war did to his reputation:

"Despite Blair's optimistic nature, cumulatively the attacks must demoralise him, and his police security detail remains high. Did not Robert Harris's thriller, The Ghost, envisage a Blair-like ex-PM holed up on Martha's Vineyard writing his memoirs, facing legal investigation and worse?"

Writing in the Independent Carol Jones, whose son John was killed in Iraq, describes the donation as "blood money":

"I think this donation is because of a very big guilty conscience for the 179 deaths in Iraq."

Con Coughlin in the Telegraph applauds Mr Blair's donation, rejecting the cynical views of others:

"I prefer to take at face value that he has taken this decision as his way of honouring the courage and sacrifice of all those who have fought in Blair's wars."

Alex Massie in the Spectator wonders whether the move will encourage other politicians to be as similarly philanthropic when penning their own autobiographies:

"Not that this will be popular with other politicians who may find themselves pressed to make comparable gestures when it comes to the proceeds - if there be any - of their own memoirs. How about it, Gordon?"

The Daily Mail's leader column has faint praise for the former Labour leader's decision:

"Whatever may have driven him to it, however, one truth is inescapable: for once in his lying, war-mongering, money grubbing career, the former prime minister has done something decent."