Tony Blair 'tried to save Colonel Gaddafi' just before bombing of Libya

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Tony Blair may be asked to take part in a government inquiry after allegations the former prime minister attempted to save Colonel Gaddafi before the allied bombing of Libya.

A forthcoming biography of David Cameron claims Mr Blair was contacted by “a key individual close to Gaddafi” during the 2011 military campaign to topple the Libyan dictator, and subsequently telephoned Number 10 on his behalf.

Mr Blair purportedly called Downing Street to say the Libyan leader wanted “a deal with the British”. David Cameron, however, did not take up the offer.

The foreign affairs committee is currently conducting an inquiry into the Government’s foreign policy with Libya, which includes British military action in the country.

Nadhim Zahawi, a Tory sitting in the committee, told The Times: “With these revelations, we should be pushing for Blair to come and explain as part of the inquiry.

“If this is true then we need to better understand what happened.”

The claims could prove highly detrimental for the former Labour leader, who has already faced condemnation for allegedly arranging a “deal in the desert” in 2004, in which Gaddafi was to eschew global terror in return for having international companies help him extract Libya's massive oil reserves.

The biography, Cameron at 10, by Sir Anthony Seldon, who has also written biographies of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and John Major, also includes claims that former chief of the defence staff Lord Richards of Herstmonceux labelled Mr Cameron’s campaign to oust Gaddafi “half-baked”.

The book also claims he said the prime minister “lacked the balls” to take military action in Syria that could have prevented the rise of Isis.

Further revelations include claims Mr Cameron told London mayor Boris Johnson to “fucking shut up” when he highlighted the number of ex-Etonians who went on to be prime minister.

It also suggests the premier practised his resignation speech hours before learning he would be heading back to Downing Street.