In an interview with the Times, Tony Blair criticises politicians on both sides of the Atlantic for fostering divisions between Europe and America.

Amid worsening EU-US relations, the prime minister says: "I regard it as one of my tasks to say to people the whole time - don't pull apart Europe and America because the only people that rejoice in those circumstances are the bad guys and America and Europe should stand together on most issues."

In a rebuke to European Commission chief, Romano Prodi, Blair says "don't tell Britain to choose between Europe and America".

He also criticises the US Congress for not listening to what Europe is saying on the Middle East and for arguing that Europe is becoming more anti-Semitic.

Blair argues that there should be a forum for politicians of all shades from America and Europe to meet and discuss common problems.