The American lawyer who is the Mr Fixit for multi-millionaires
Robert Barnett has helped to set up post-Downing Street careers for the Blairs
American powerhouse lawyer Robert Barnett - entrusted with brokering the Blairs' post-Downing Street career - has helped their old friend Bill Clinton earn £20million in the eight years since he left office.
Mr Barnett was so close to the Clintons that he had to break the news of Bill's relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky to Hillary.
The flamboyant 61-year-old brokered multi-million-pound book deals for both Clintons. But the lifelong Democrat also represents a slew of Republican rivals.
He is also an expert at suppression - he stopped publishers reissuing a 25-year-old steamy novel written by vice-president Dick Cheney's wife Lynne.
He charges all clients £450 an hour, no matter how small or great the task. He boasts that the secret of his success is introducing people so famous they need no introduction.
His clients have included the late Benazir Bhutto, Queen Noor of Jordan and a host of American political leaders. Last year he secured a £4million memoirs deal for Senator Edward Kennedy.
A father of one who is married to TV reporter Rita Braver, Mr Barnett fell into book publishing after working on Geraldine Ferraro's vice-presidential campaign in 1984.
As the first female contender in the U.S., she was swamped with book offers and Mr Barnett decided he could do the job better than most of the agents he met.
On the political party circuit, Mr Barnett - described by friends as "eternally cheerful" - stands out in his trademark large tortoiseshell glasses and multi-coloured animal print ties.
