'Stop the massages with Carole' Lord Levy told Blair

Tony Blair went "bright red" when confronted over the long massages he was said to be receiving from the former topless model Carole Caplin, Lord Levy claims.

The peer says a senior Downing Street figure asked him to speak to the then PM about Ms Caplin, Cherie Blair's controversial friend and lifestyle coach.

Ms Caplin's background and influence over Mrs Blair was a consistent concern for Downing Street aides, long before her relationship with the Australian conman Peter Foster embarrassed the Government.

But Lord Levy said she was also seen to be a risk for Mr Blair. "The main reason concerned visits Carole was making to Chequers to give an increasingly stressed PM long massages.

"I told him there was a real danger Carole could become 'not just an issue for Cherie, but for you'. Tony went bright red. I never raised the issue again. But he got the message."