London, June 20 (ANI): Cherie Blair has criticised yummy mummies who give up their careers to focus on raising their children, suggesting that their kids lack a sense of independence.

The wife of the former Prime Minister of England, Tony Blair also accused some young women of seeking to marry a rich husband and retire instead of working.

The mother-of-four, criticised women who put all their effort into their children instead of working.

Mothers who go out to work are setting a better example for their children, she said.

Addressing a gathering of powerful women at one of London's most expensive hotels, the 57-year-old said she was worried that today's young women are turning their backs on the feminism of their mothers' generation.

Some women now regard motherhood as an acceptable alternative to a career, she said, emphasising that women should strive for both.

Every woman needs to be self-sufficient and in that way you really don't have a choice - for your own satisfaction; you hear these yummy mummies talk about being the best possible mother and they put all their effort into their children. I also want to be the best possible mother, but I know that my job as a mother includes bringing my children up so actually they can live without me, the Telegraph quoted her as saying.

The term yummy mummy is generally used to denote a woman whose husband's wealth allows her to devote herself full-time to her children and her appearance.

Speaking to Fortune magazine's Most Powerful Women event in Claridge's, Blair appeared to accuse some young women of lacking professional ambition, focussing on their prospective partner's career instead of their own.

One of the things that worries me now is you see young women who say: I look at the sacrifices that women have made and I think why do I need to bother, why can't I just marry a rich husband and retire? and you think how can they even imagine that is the way to fulfil yourself, how dangerous it is, she said.

She maintained that her view was informed by her own experience of her father abandoning her mother when she was a child. But she insisted that all women should make sure they could provide for themselves: Even good men could have an accident or die and you're left holding the baby. (ANI)