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The former Prime Minister Tony Blair has described how he sometimes struggled to contain his emotions when meeting relatives of British soldiers killed in the war with Iraq. Mr Blair, who was speaking to Richard Bacon on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 5 Live, describes in his new book, A Journey, how he once cried in front of a grieving widow.

He tells Richard: "There have been many occasions when tears have been shed – and rightly so. Look, it's how you feel as a human being. You are a leader and you take that decision and you have to have the strength in a sense to take that decision, right or wrong.

"People can disagree with the decision but that decision has to be taken. The difficult thing is there are consequences either way but you feel those consequences as a human being; if you don't, then frankly you have become inhuman."

Tony Blair also describes his last meeting with Princess Diana, shortly before her death, during which he admits they had strong words about her relationship with Dodi Al Fayed.

He says: "I was concerned. I was concerned as to whether she was taking into account the full implications of what that would mean for her."

Tony Blair also discusses his dread of Prime Minister's Questions, the pressures he faced after the 7 July bombings in 2005 and expands further on his difficult relationship with Gordon Brown – whose personality he describes as "somewhat out of line with 21st century politics."

Richard Bacon's interview can be heard in full on Radio 5 Live at 2pm today (2 September 2010).

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