London: Former British prime minister Tony Blair said on Monday he was plunging back into domestic politics in order to fight against Brexit.
Blair, who led the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007, will not be standing in the June 8 general election.
But he said he wanted to build a political movement to shape the policy debate as Britain starts its negotiations to leave the European Union.
But the ardent Europhile, who has largely been working on Middle East and African issues since leaving office, still wanted to get his "hands dirty" and re-enter the fray, saying voters should have the chance to change their mind once the final EU exit deal becomes clear.
"This Brexit thing has given me a direct motivation to get more involved in the politics," he told the Daily Mirror newspaper.
"You need to get your hands dirty and I will.
"I know the moment I stick my head out the door I'll get a bucket of wotsit poured all over me, but I really do feel passionate about this.
"I am not sure I can turn something into a political movement but I think there is a body of ideas out there people would support."
He said his push was not about defying the vote to leave the European Union.
Opinion polls put the Conservatives far ahead of Labour, a few weeks out from the general election.
Blair, who won three straight general elections as Labour leader, was from the most centrist strain of the party, while current leader Jeremy Corbyn is from its strident leftist wing that reviles Blairite politics.
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