Blair given award for handing out billions in foreign aid Blair's work on debt relief and foreign aid hailed by Save The Children Former PM was first to set 0.7 per cent GDP target for foreign aid budget Critics say it means billions of pounds is wasted at a time of austerityÂ Tony Blair has been handed an award for spending billions of taxpayersâ€™ money on foreign aid. The former prime minister was honoured by Save The Children, a charity whose UK chief once worked for him in No 10. He received the award at a star-studded ceremony in New York. But critics said it was undeserved, accusing him of leaving the country bankrupt and saying his legacy was nothing to celebrate. Celeb bash: Former prime minister Tony Blair speaks on stage at the 2nd Annual Save The Children Illumination Gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City after he is awarded the charity's Global Legacy Award Mr Blair, who set Britain on course towards spending 0.7 per cent of its national income on overseas aid, was given the Save The Children Global Legacy Award in recognition of his leadership in international development. The UK arm of the charity is headed by Justin Forsyth, who worked as an adviser for both Mr Blair and his successor Gordon Brown. Looking sharp: Mr Blair rubbed shoulders with Hollywood royalty including Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner as guest of honour at the star-studded event Mr Forsyth was accused by Tories of changing Save The Children into a politically motivated organisation two years ago when it launched a campaign for the children of the UK, claiming many could not afford shoes or hot meals. Mr Blair hobnobbed with Hollywood stars as guest of honour at the ceremony in New York. Hero dog: Lassie, or rather her latest incarnation, was also among the guests at the sumptuous gala event The latest incarnation of Lassie the dog was among the guests, along with actor and director Ben Affleck, his wife Jennifer Garner and actress Dakota Fanning. As prime minister, Mr Blair set up the Department for International Development and hosted a series of aid summits. Critics say Britainâ€™s foreign aid budget â€" which hit Â£11.4billion last year â€" has led to a string of perverse outcomes, including spending millions in countries such as India which can afford its own space programme. 688 shares Accepting his award last night, Mr Blair said: â€˜From the beginning of humankind there has been brutality, conflict, intrigue, the destructive obsession with a narrow self-interest. But throughout all human history, never has been extinguished that relentless, unquenchable desire to do good. To act not only in self-interest and sometimes to even to act in defiance of it.â€™ A spokesman for Save The Children said: â€˜The UKâ€™s achievement of 0.7 per cent of gross national income to international aid in 2014 is the culmination of work started under [Mr Blairâ€™s] leadership.â€™ But Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, said: â€˜I am not sure that giving overseas aid to China and India and setting us on the path to the biggest crash in a century is anything to celebrate.â€™ Andrew Rosindell, Tory MP for Romford, said: â€˜This award is undeserved and frankly I think most British people will find it totally inappropriate that someone who has left the country bankrupt is honoured in this way.â€™ Star-studded bash: From left to right, Blair, Mike Bezos, Dakota Fanning, and Nicholas KristofÂ Singer Trisha Yearwood was also among the guests in the audience to see Mr Blair honoured by the charity