Blair School of Government?

Fresh from the news that Tony Blair will resign within a year comes word that Tony is worried about his "legacy." I guess I would worry too if I thought my only legacy was going to be showing the world how to be a good lapdog. Anyway, apparently Blair's people have been in dialogue with folks from the London School of Economics (LSE) about setting up a school of government/public policy named after Blair:

British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s chief of staff is in discussions with the London School of Economics over the establishment of a school of government in Mr Blair’s name, the Guardian reported on Friday.

Citing unnamed LSE academics involved in the discussions, which have apparently been ongoing for six months, the newspaper reported that the proposed school would focus on foreign and domestic policy.

Mr Blair has apparently been inspired by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and former US president Bill Clinton’s foundation, in attempting to cement his legacy.

I've been at academic institutions where some academic divisions are named for prominent politicians, and it's very tricky to try and keep the academic endeavor separate from the very real idetification of the institution with the politician's ideology. Such questions have already been raised at LSE:

There remain questions over whether Mr Blair would actually head the school, the unnamed academics told the Guardian, and the Prime Minister’s chief of Staff Jonathan Powell has also been mentioned as a possible head. The LSE was apparently enthusiastic initially when discussions began, but the newspaper reported that some academics are wary of the proposal, questioning whether Mr Blair’s involvement would compromise the LSE’s independence.

"It would need to be de-Blairified before it could go ahead," one unnamed academic said. Both Howard Davies, the LSE’s director, and Mr Blair’s Downing Street office denied knowledge of such a proposal, though it was confirmed by various academics at the LSE off the record to the newspaper.

If I were the LSE, I would run, fast, in the opposite direction...