Tony Blair has said that he has done as much as he could to lower the price of fuel but stressed that the government would not jeapordise public services to win over the protesters.

Speaking in Brighton on Friday, Blair said: "We did what we responsibly could to help motorists and hauliers on Wednesday, but we did it in a way that did not put at risk either economic stability - which helps businesses and our mortgages - or our programme of investment.

"We have chosen the path of investment. And I say to the fuel protesters and others: we understand your concerns, we are happy to carry on in dialogue with you, but we have done as much as we responsibly can. We cannot and will not reverse the choices we have made for stability, not boom and bust, and investment in our public services, not cuts.''

Blair said that whilst the government had not achieved all its aims as quickly as it had wanted, he suggested its prudence had paid off. "We didn't get the money into the public services as quickly as we wanted to. We had to make tough spending decisions. They were difficult - the fuel duty escalator issue made people angry, but as a result of these decisions the economy is in good shape now. Had we spent the money in the first few years by now this country would have quite simply been in a state of recession, of going from boom to bust with high interest rates and mortgages," he said.

The prime minister said that government was about making choices. "These are the best long-term choices for Britain's hard-working families. This is a time of transition within our public services. There is investment going in. There is reform and in time results will be delivered if we have the strength and commitment for the future. If we want first class public services in this country - and as the fourth largest economy in the world we should be able to get them it requires extra money going in and tough decisions. But the enormous prize is first class services for this country."