Blair reacts angrily to questions on Deng relationship

Tony Blair reacted furiously to questions about his relationship with Rupert Murdoch’s ex-wife - and startled a number of people by banging his coffee cup “loudly into its saucer”.

The former British prime minister was asked about his relationship with Wendi Deng, whom Murdoch divorced last year following rumours of infidelity.

Blair’s “good body” and “piercing blue eyes” were too much for Deng, according to a Vanity Fair article published last year. The magazine revealed the contents of a love note it claimed was penned by Deng about the former British leader.

The article alleged Blair stayed at the Murdochs’ California ranch with Deng in October 2012 and April 2013 while the media mogul was abroad.

A spokesman for Mr Blair at the time issued a statement saying: “If you are asking if they are having an affair, the answer is no.”

The Economist tried to revisit the subject with Blair in a interview published this week, to which the former Labour leader reacted angrily, and said he would ‘never’ reveal the full story about his relationship with Deng.

The Economist wrote: “Mr Blair roundly denies any impropriety. Asked whether he was [at least] careless about his reputation, he says calmly that it is “not something I will ever talk about —I haven’t and I won’t”, and then bangs his coffee cup so loudly into its saucer that it spills and everyone in the room jumps. But did he find himself in a tangle over his friendship with Ms Deng? A large, dark pool of sweat has suddenly appeared under his armpit...”