Blair heckled by protesters at a US college

A handful of protesters briefly interrupted a US college graduation speech by former prime minister Tony Blair calling for world unity.

Mr Blair addressed more than 400 Colby College graduates and their guests at the school's 191st commencement in Waterville, Maine.

Police said the protesters shouted phrases such as “warmonger” and “war criminal” during Mr Blair's speech. One person was arrested.

In his address, Mr Blair appealed for international co-operation and for people to try to understand other cultures.

The 59-year-old Mr Blair, the Labour Party's longest-serving prime minister, served from 1997 to 2007.

Since then, he has served as the envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East, representing the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations in working on a path to an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

AP