Latest news with #TonyBlairInstitute
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Business
- Al Mayadeen
UK probes US firm over Gaza ethnic cleansing charges
A prominent US consulting firm is under formal investigation by a UK parliamentary committee over its involvement in planning efforts that human rights advocates say amount to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza. Boston Consulting Group (BCG), one of the world's most influential management firms, has been asked to explain its role in a controversial "postwar reconstruction plan" for Gaza, which reportedly included financial modeling for the mass displacement of Palestinians. Liam Byrne MP, chair of the Business and Trade Select Committee, has sent a formal request to BCG seeking 'clarification and information' regarding its activities, particularly its collaboration with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed group criticized for disguising forced displacement as humanitarian relief. A report by the Financial Times revealed that BCG was hired to provide financial analysis for a postwar development plan. As part of the assignment, BCG reportedly calculated the cost of 'voluntarily' relocating hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, a proposal widely denounced by legal experts and human rights organizations as a euphemism for ethnic cleansing. The investigation has also drawn in the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), whose staff reportedly took part in early discussions about the Gaza plan. Internal documents suggest that TBI shared a postwar scenario paper with BCG during the preliminary phase of the project. Although the institute has denied authoring or endorsing the proposal, its involvement has triggered public outrage, particularly given Tony Blair's contentious role in the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. BCG has since disavowed the project, stating that the work was 'unauthorized' and that two senior partners involved have been dismissed. Nevertheless, Byrne has made it clear that the firm's explanations thus far are 'not sufficient". He has demanded a detailed timeline of BCG's engagement, identification of all clients and collaborators, and full disclosure of any UK-based entities, including companies, NGOs, or think tanks, that may have been involved. 'Who commissioned or requested this work?' Byrne asked. 'Which individuals or entities did BCG engage with in this context? Is any such work ongoing or active in any form?' BCG's ties to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation are now facing parallel scrutiny in the US. Senator Elizabeth Warren has requested a formal investigation by the State Department into GHF's funding sources, as well as into the transparency of BCG's internal review. While BCG has not denied that some of its employees contributed to the financial framework of the plan, CEO Christoph Schweizer acknowledged in an internal message that the firm's involvement is 'deeply troubling and reputationally very damaging.' The UK parliamentary committee has given BCG until 22 July to respond. In a short statement, the firm said, 'We are aware of the request from the House of Commons Business & Trade Committee. We are reviewing the request and are committed to responding.'
Al Jazeera
10-07-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
UK parliamentary committee seeks answers over US firm BCG's role in Gaza
A United Kingdom parliamentary committee is demanding that a US consulting giant explain its activities in Gaza, including its role in establishing a controversial aid group under scrutiny over the killings of hundreds of Palestinians. Labour Party MP Liam Byrne, who chairs the House of Commons Business and Trade Select Committee, asked Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in a letter on Wednesday for 'clarification and information' about its work in the besieged enclave, adding that the query was part of the committee's 'scrutiny of the UK's commercial, political and humanitarian links to the conflict'. Byrne's letter to BCG CEO Christoph Schweizer comes after The Financial Times reported on Friday that the firm had drawn up an estimate of the costs of relocating Palestinians from Gaza and signed a multimillion-dollar contract to help create the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Gaza health authorities say that more than 700 Palestinians have been killed trying to access aid at distribution centres run by the GHF, which has been disavowed by the United Nations and numerous aid organisations. The UK newspaper also reported on Monday that the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), run by the former British prime minister, participated in message groups and calls for a post-war development plan for Gaza that relied on BCG modelling. In his letter, Byrne asked for a 'clear and comprehensive response' to a list of questions, including a 'detailed timeline' of when BCG began work on establishing the GHF. Byrne also demanded information from BCG about other companies and institutions, as well as funding sources, linked to the creation of the group. The GHF, which began operating in the bombarded Palestinian enclave in late May, has drawn widespread criticism amid numerous reports that its US security contractors and Israeli forces have opened fire on aid seekers. While noting that BCG had ended its involvement with the GHF, and that some of the associated work had been 'unauthorised', Byrne said the firm should provide specific details on what activities were not authorised, 'when and how' the work was undertaken, and what actions were made to correct those activities. Byrne also called for more information about BCG's work on proposals to relocate the population of Gaza, which have been condemned by Palestinians in the enclave, rights groups and the UN. 'Who commissioned or requested this work? Which individuals or entities . . . did BCG engage with in this context? Is any such work ongoing or active in any form? Were any UK-based organisations – including companies, NGOs, academics or think-tanks – involved?' Byrne said in the letter. Byrne directed BCG to respond by July 22, 'given the seriousness of these issues and the high level of public interest'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also floated the idea of relocating Palestinians during his meetings this week with US President Donald Trump at the White House. In a statement issued earlier this week, BCG said that 'recent media reporting has misrepresented' the firm's potential role in the post-war reconstruction of Gaza. The firm said that two of its partners 'failed to disclose the full nature of the work' they carried out without payment in helping to establish the GHF. 'These individuals then carried out subsequent unauthorised work. Their actions reflected a serious failure of judgment and adherence to our standards,' the company said, adding that the two partners had been fired.
Al Jazeera
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Report finds former UK PM Blair involved in ‘Gaza Riviera' scheme
Report finds former UK PM Blair involved in 'Gaza Riviera' scheme NewsFeed Staff at the Tony Blair Institute participated in a project to redevelop Gaza into the Donald Trump-envisioned 'riviera of the Middle East', a report has found. The plan includes expelling Palestinians, as Soraya Lennie explains. Video Duration 01 minutes 08 seconds 01:08 Video Duration 00 minutes 17 seconds 00:17 Video Duration 00 minutes 50 seconds 00:50 Video Duration 00 minutes 56 seconds 00:56 Video Duration 00 minutes 38 seconds 00:38 Video Duration 00 minutes 38 seconds 00:38 Video Duration 01 minutes 26 seconds 01:26
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New controversial plan wants to tokenize Gaza real estate for investors
New controversial plan wants to tokenize Gaza real estate for investors originally appeared on TheStreet. As the Israeli military action in occupied Palestinian territories continues, the Financial Times recently published two news reports that detail the involvement of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the Tony Blair Institute in a project to "relocate" Gazans. Notably, BCG's plan used innovative models such as tokenization of real estate in Gaza via blockchain refers to the process of using blockchain technology to digitally represent real-world assets (RWAs) such as real estate as tradable tokens and offer fractional ownership of the assets to prospective investors. To put it simply, the process of tokenization digitizes and fractionalizes real estate. The BCG's plan envisioned all of Gaza's public land being put into a trust, whose assets could be tokenized and sold as digital tokens to prospective investors. The plan also considered offering the residents of Gaza an opportunity to "contribute" their privately owned land to the trust in return for a digital token. The token would give Gazans the right to a permanent housing unit. As per the report, BCG entered into a multimillion-dollar contract to help launch an aid scheme for the shattered enclave and also modelled the costs of 'relocating' Palestinians from Gaza, the report mentioned. As per the report FT published on July 4, the group considered a scenario that estimated that more than 500,000 Gazans would leave the enclave with 'relocation packages' worth $9,000 per person. It suggested that around 25% of Gaza's population might leave permanently. However, BCG claimed that the partners running the project repeatedly misled the consultancy's senior figures on the scope of the work. BCG said in reference to the work on post-war Gaza: 'The lead partner was categorically told no, and he violated this directive. We disavow this work.' The group added that it stopped the work, took no fees, and launched an independent investigation: 'We are taking steps to ensure this never happens again.' It was a Washington-area security contractor called Orbis that engaged BCG on the project. Orbis was preparing the study on behalf of an Israeli think tank, the Tachlith Institute, people familiar with the project told FT. As per the report FT published on July 6, the Tony Blair Institute staff also participated in the project. The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is a non-profit founded by the former British prime minister Tony Blair in 2016. Titled the 'Great Trust' and shared with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, the plan envisioned a 'Trump Riviera' and an 'Elon Musk Smart Manufacturing Zone' in had earlier shared a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip as the 'Riviera of the Middle East' and suggested emptying the region of its 2.2 million people, a plan rights groups and United Nations officials equated to ethnic cleansing, FT wrote. Though the TBI didn't author or endorse the final slide deck and its own document didn't refer to the relocation of Palestinians, its two staff members were part of message groups and calls as the project involving BCG developed, people familiar with the work told FT. The institute told FT that its staff were 'essentially in listening mode' on these chats and it has never authored, developed, or endorsed any proposal "about relocating Gazans." New controversial plan wants to tokenize Gaza real estate for investors first appeared on TheStreet on Jul 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The National
07-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Anas Sarwar 'must cut ties' to Tony Blair Institute amid Gaza plan row
The Financial Times has revealed that the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), a non-profit organisation founded in 2016, is involved in a project led by Israeli businessmen which used financial models developed inside the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to envision Gaza as a trading hub. Plans outlined in a slide deck, titled the 'Great Trust', were shared with US president Donald Trump and included a proposal to pay half a million Palestinians to leave the area and replace them with private investors to develop Gaza. According to the newspaper, the TBI did not author or endorse the final slide deck, but two members of its staff were involved in message groups and calls as the project developed. READ MORE: Wes Streeting calls John Swinney an 'analogue politician' amid NHS row This has led to backlash, with the SNP saying the Scottish Labour leader and the Prime Minister have 'real and urgent questions to answer'. SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said it was 'common knowledge' that Starmer's Downing Street political operation and Scottish Labour are 'inextricably linked and influenced' by the Tony Blair Institute. We previously reported on how Scottish Labour are reportedly consulting with TBI, which has previously called for more private involvement in the NHS, on its health policies ahead of the Holyrood 2026 election. (Image: PA) 'The Tony Blair Institute has been involved with a group who were developing a plan which amounts to ethnic cleansing in the Gaza strip. It is one more awful stain on Tony Blair's shameful legacy in the Middle East,' Flynn (above) said. 'Given their close co-operation and ties to the Tony Blair Institute, real and urgent questions now need to be answered by both Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar. It is common knowledge that their senior teams are inextricably linked and influenced by this Institute which, we now know, was present when a plan to steal Palestinian land and livelihoods was being developed.' The SNP MP added: 'Both Starmer and Sarwar have at least three urgent questions to answer - will they come out and publicly condemn the former Labour Party Leader, Tony Blair, whose Institute has been part of this sickening plan? Will they fully reveal their own dealings with this Institute and their team's involvement with the staff who were aware of this sickening plan? And will they now commit to cut all ties and all funding to the Tony Blair Institute? "If the Labour Party fails to immediately cut ties to the Tony Blair Institute, it will also severely undermine their credibility in achieving a two state-solution in the region. 'The Labour Party were shamefully slow in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the UK Labour Government is still authorising the sale of arms to an Israeli Government that is engaged in the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. These revelations are another part of that shameful story for the Labour Party and their neglect for the plight of the Palestinian people.' Scottish Labour and Labour have been approached for comment.
