Smiling Tony Blair at Leveson Inquiry

Tony Blair was back on centre stage today as he arrived at the Leveson Inquiry to be quizzed over his relations with the media.

The former prime minister was driven from his central London home in a black Range Rover with a police motorbike escort.

He smiled broadly at photographers as he entered the Royal Courts of Justice.

He was today facing questions about the nature of his and his government's links with Rupert Murdoch's media empire during his 13 years at the helm of the Labour Party, including a decade in Downing Street.

He has been accused of allowing his relationship with Mr Murdoch and News International to become too close, as his former lieutenant Lord Mandelson told the inquiry on Monday.

Mr Blair famously flew to Hayman Island in Australia to address News Corp executives in 1995. He is also godson to one of Mr Murdoch's children.