But Mr Blair, 55, has recently spoken out on the subject far more than during his 10 years in Downing Street.

BBC: Blair 'to devote life to faith'

Now it seems like years ago but it was only this week that Yasser Arafat came to Downing Street and met with Tony Blair, then the talk was of speeding up the Middle East peace process and even of pushing Israel to accept a Palestinian State.

BBC: News | BREAKFAST WITH FROST | Saeb Erekaet, Palestinian Chief Negotiator

More than a thousand years ago, well-off Anglo-Saxons living by the site of present-day Downing Street built a small church on nearby Thorney island.

BBC: The hidden history of Westminster

David Cameron spoke to her on Monday and afterwards Downing Street briefed that the two leaders had agreed that the current proposal on the table - 973bn euros over seven years - had to be reduced further.

BBC: France takes aim at Britain