Blair in line for UN role as Middle East envoy

The White House revealed yesterday that Tony Blair and George Bush have discussed the outgoing Prime Minister taking on a UN role as Middle East envoy.

A spokesman for the US President said the two leaders had considered the possibility of Mr Blair acting as a peace envoy role for the Middle East Quartet, comprising the US, the UN, Russia and the European Union.

The position has been vacant since the former World Bank chief James Wolfensohn quit the post in April last year. It would give Mr Blair a central role in efforts to secure peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

A Israeli government spokeswoman said: "Officials in the prime minister's office are aware of this idea and Prime Minister Olmert is very supportive of [Mr] Blair and of his continuing involvement in the Middle East and the peace process."

The prospect of Mr Blair playing a role in the Middle East after the debacle over the Iraq was greeted with disbelief by some anti-war Labour MPs. It may also dismay Gordon Brown, who is seeking to make progress in the Middle East after Mr Blair goes, and shift the emphasis in the campaign against terrorism to a battle for "hearts and minds".