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Tony
Blair says he will “never” discuss the true nature of his relationship with
Rupert Murdoch’s ex-wife, Wendi Deng. The media mogul filed for divorce in June
2013 amid speculation the former prime minister had been having an affair.
Middle
East envoy Blair became irked when questioned on the subject, banging “his coffee cup so loudly into its saucer
that it spills and everyone in the room jumps,” according to an interviewer
for The Economist.
Godfather
to one of the former couple’s daughters, Blair has always denied the sordid
allegation. He told the magazine it is “not
something I will ever talk about—I haven’t and I won’t.”
When
asked whether he found himself in a tangle over his friendship with Deng, the
Economist reported that “a
large, dark pool of sweat has suddenly appeared under his armpit, spreading
across an expensive blue shirt.”
Murdoch
spoke publicly about the end of his third marriage for the first time in April.
In
an interview with Fortune magazine, he said he was “shocked” when he read Deng’s alleged diary
entries about other men.
Deng
described her passion for Blair in a private note which was revealed by Vanity
Fair in March.
“He
has such a good body and he has really, really good legs… And he is slim, tall
and [has] good skin. Pierc[ing] blue eyes which I love. Love his eyes. Also I
love his power on the stage,” wrote Deng.
Murdoch
filed for divorce a week after staff at his California ranch told him of their
suspicions.
“I
was in Australia. When I got back, I naturally asked the staff, and it opened
up. That's the story. And then, you know, a week later I filed. As soon as I
could find a lawyer,” Murdoch said.
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Blair
and the press magnate fell out soon after the divorce was filed.
“According
to sources at NewsCorp, Mr Murdoch pressed the ‘mute’ button during a
confrontational phone call, informed colleagues that he was getting
‘politicians’ answers’ to his questions, and has never spoken to Mr Blair
since,” The Economist said.
If
Blair was uncooperative when asked about his relationship with Deng, he was
defiant when asked about Iraq.
He
denied responsibility for the instability and violence ravaging swathes of the
Middle East, saying he would not concede “until
my dying day” he was wrong to remove Saddam Hussein.
“What annoys people is my
refusal to change my mind. I don’t shut up about it and I know that strikes
some people as provocative,” Blair said.
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