Former Prime Minister Tony Blair told ITV1’s Daybreak that he is ‘concerned’ over security implications for his upcoming London book signing.

In his first live UK television interview since the publication of his autobiography, A Journey, Mr Blair said that if he went ahead with the book signing he risked “causing a lot of hassle for people and cost.”

Speaking to Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley, Mr Blair was asked why his book needed the publicity of a book signing when it’s already become a bestseller.

He replied: “Well that’s a very good point. And you know, frankly, I mean in Dublin it’s a sort of classic example, the people that come and protest are a small minority – you get far more people come down to the book sign – but the ones who do the protesting are the ones that get all the publicity. So I, to be frank about it, I’m concerned. I don’t want to put everyone through a lot of cost and hassle on this Wednesday’s signings, so I’m just thinking about that now. I mean the Met Police are fabulous and they will do whatever we ask them to do.”
 
Asked, ‘So you might not do it?’, Mr Blair said: “Well look, as you say, the book’s selling fantastically. There are people – particularly now the BNP apparently said they want to get in on the action – you just end up causing a lot of hassle for people and cost, frankly, when there are better things for the police to do. So it’s not as if we need to do it. I mean I think it’s sad at the same time, frankly, that you can’t, you know, if people want to come and have a book signed, people should protest, but not try and physically prevent you doing it and that’s a pity really.”
 
Asked to clarify his comments in a Sunday newspaper interview that he would still like to play some part in political life, Mr Blair said: “It’s a very good point, what did I have in mind when I said that? I don’t know actually because I’m sure it would be very difficult for me to play a part here. What I really wanted to say is I remain deeply committed to the country. You know, I love this country, I want to see it do well.”
 
He added. “I just think for this country there’s a lot that we need to do to prepare for the future. So I feel deeply committed, but frankly I doubt there is a way I can play a part. But if I can I’d love to.”