Clare Short has launched a fresh attack on the prime minister.

The former international development secretary said that the blasts in Istanbul were linked to the mishandling of the war in Iraq.

And she described Tony Blair as "messianic", "right wing" and "shallow" in his handling of international relations.

Short, who resigned from the Cabinet over the reconstruction of post-war Iraq, said that the latest terrorist atrocity was part of "an unfolding and cumulating tragedy that is dreadful for everyone in the world, that was predicted by many, many serious people before the Iraq war, if the problem of Iraq was mishandled".

"I see this as the danger of a growing, growing disorder, violence, killing, bitterness that will spread and grow, destabilise across the world, create more bitter division [and is] very dangerous," she told the GMTV Sunday Programme.

"A tragedy...and the sooner we can correct and come back to justice for the Middle East, settle Israel-Palestine, let Iraqi people lead the rebuilding of their country and stop trying to control and manipulate them to get the democratic outcome you want, we'll be able to pull back from the ever-growing confrontation that otherwise is going to hurt people right across the world."

A vociferous critic of Blair since she left the government, Short's latest attack came at the end of President Bush's state visit to Britain.

And the Birmingham Ladywood MP described the prime minister has having accepted the US leader's neo-conservative agenda.

"If you go and read the writings of the neo-conservatives in America, which have been proved to be really foolish in Iraq, Tony has swallowed the whole argument," she said.

Asked if she thought Blair was a neo-conservative himself, Short said: "I think yes, and it sort of suits Tony."

"He wants to be sort of messianic, and say everything's about moral principle," she added.

"He likes to be sort of right-wing, and he's quite shallow.

"I think he's very pro-American, pro-American in his DNA as they say.

"He's just taken this in, hook, line and sinker."