Tony Blair has been accused of seeking to pre-empt criticism in the Chilcot Report over his role in the Iraq War, after he launched an attack on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for "standing by" while Syrian civilians suffered.
The former prime minister used a TV interview a month ahead of the report's publication to accuse Mr Corbyn of pursuing a "politics of protest" while dodging difficult decisions.
Mr Corbyn was fierce critic of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which he describes as "illegal", and has suggested that Mr Blair could face war crimes charges after the long-awaited publication of the Chilcot Report next month.
Mr Blair told Bloomberg Television: "I'm accused of being a war criminal for removing Saddam Hussein - who, by the way, was a war criminal - and yet Jeremy is seen as a progressive icon as we stand by and watch the people of Syria barrel-bombed, beaten and starved into submission and do nothing."
In an attack on the approach taken by his successor, who opposed UK military air strikes against the Assad regime in Syria and has continued to attend anti-war rallies since becoming leader last year, Mr Blair said there were two kinds of politics.
"There's a guy whose face is on the placard. That's me: Hate that guy. You're the person in power taking difficult decisions," he said.
"Jeremy is the guy with the placard, he's the guy holding it. One's the politics of power and the other's the politics of protest."
Mr Corbyn's spokesman said Mr Blair's comments were "not correct", and made clear that the Labour leader has "no plans" to appear on platforms alongside his predecessor during the EU referendum campaign, even though they are both supporting the Remain side.
The senior Labour spokesman said: "What Tony Blair says is a matter for him. If he is suggesting that Jeremy Corbyn is leading a politics of protest, I would say that's not correct.
"Jeremy Corbyn is leading the Opposition and building support against a Conservative Government. We are quite clear about our position in Syria and how you achieve peace."
And former SNP leader Alex Salmond launched an attack on the former PM, telling RT television: "People who lost relatives in the war on Iraq will be particularly offended by seeing that man back on television, bold as brass.
"This pre-emptive strike is a pretty firm indication that the criticism he's about to face from Chilcot will be damning."
Mr Salmond added "the message I'd have for Tony Blair is this: Be very sure, be very certain, that there are a number of people across the parties who are not impressed by your pre-emptive strike against the Chilcot report, who are not impressed by your excuses, and will want to find a method of holding you to account."
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