LONDON - Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is nowadays sporting a mysterious black eye.

His eye bruising was seen during a reunion with confidant Peter Mandelson at an award ceremony.

A noticeably greyer Blair was receiving the Fenner Brockway medal by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson at Deutsche Bank’s London headquarters for his contribution to British relations with India during his tenure as the nation’s leader, Sky News reports.

Lord Mandelson, as he handed over the trophy, joked that the pair had always shared favours over the years.

Meanwhile Blair’s former pugilist-in-chief, Alastair Campbell, asked about Blair’s bashing at a funeral they both attended.

“Tony and Cherie were there, the former nursing a black eye, the latter denying any involvement,” Campbell wrote on his blog.

“Don’t ask. I did it in the gym,” Blair had clarified.

Later, Campbell mused about how little interest the shiner has attracted compared to their days in power.

“There are definitely advantages to being a former PM, and a former spokesman to said PM,” Campbell continued.

“How did your old boss get that black eye?’ asked one of the mourners.”

“Dunno,’ I said. ‘Something about an accident in the gym.”

“‘Oh.’ And that was that,” he wrote. (ANI)