An Irish journalist tried to place Tony Blair under citizen's arrest for war crimes on Tuesday night during a visit by the former prime minister to the European Parliament.

David Cronin, a reporter for the Inter Press Service news agency and a regular commentator for The Guardian, placed his hand on Mr Blair's arm and said: "This is a citizens' arrest. You are guilty of war crimes."

Mr Blair, speaking to MEPs about his role as EU and US envoy to the Middle East, momentarily flinched at the contact but was saved by a bodyguard who intervened to push the Irish journalist away.

Mr Cronin said that his intention had been to invite Mr Blair to accompany him to the nearest Belgian police station to be charged for breaches of international law over his part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

It is the second attempted arrest of Mr Blair. Grace McCann, an anti-war protester, was arrested in January after trying to collar the former Prime Minister following his testimony before the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war.