TONY BLAIR admits he lied to prevent the collapse of the Northern Ireland peace process.

In a memoir published today, the former British prime minister sensationally reveals how he took “horrendous” chances and “stretched the truth past breaking point”, in his dealings with deadlocked republicans and unionists during the talks to restore devolved powers.

The book gives details of his first meeting with Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, and tells how they eventually became “partners” and “even friends”.

“They were not just hesitant or distrustful, they were sitting down with the enemy. For countless meetings at first, Martin would not simply want to negotiate, most of all he would want to explain his side’s purpose, its pain, its anger and its expectations. It took time before he came to regard me as a partner and even a friend.”

In passages in the book which are likely to unite both republicans and unionists in their irritation at the former prime minister, Blair reveals how the final stages of Northern Ireland peace process talks in 2007 almost fell apart over the choice of table for a key meeting.

He claims that the Democratic Unionists wanted the sides to sit opposite each other in order to “show they were still adversaries”, whereas Sinn Fein wanted everyone to sit next to each other “to show they were partners and equals”.

Blair said the deal was only done after a Downing Street official suggested a diamond-shaped table “so they could sit both opposite and with each other”.

The book also reveals how a leading Orangeman described him as unfit to be prime minister because “my wife was a painted jezebel who claimed her allegiance to Rome”.