Tony Blair: Gaddafi 'in denial'

Master of spin, this longest serving Labour Leader is all too familiar with waning popularity.

Tony Blair has urged Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down.

The former prime minister confirmed that he had made two telephone calls to the dictator with requests to stop the bloodshed.

"What I asked him to do is consistent with the message from the international community and his message was the message he has given publicly. He was in denial that these things are going on."

He added: "Far too many people have died; there has been far too much violence...The single most important thing is that this ends as quickly as possible with him standing aside and a new leadership taking over."

The Middle East peace envoy brought Colonel Gaddafi back into the international fold in 2004 by signing a deal following Libya's climbdown over a programme to develop weapons of mass destruction.