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Tony Blair has warned that electing Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister could leave Britain ‘flat on its back and out for the count’ as he urged politicians to think again over Brexit .

In his first intervention since the general election, the former Labour PM admitted he “did not foresee” Mr Corbyn’s shock success on June 8.

But Mr Blair insisted the “determining factor” in Mr Corbyn’s impressive result was actually the dismal Tory campaign.

And he said there are still huge “risks” for Britain if an “unreconstructed” Mr Corbyn does eventually win the premiership, just as we head for a “damaging” hard Brexit.

“There is a genuine and widespread desire for change and for the politics of social justice,” Mr Blair said as he reflected on the election result.

“But it doesn’t alter the judgement about the risks of an unchanged Corbyn programme, if he became Prime Minister and tried to implement it at the same time as Brexit.

(Image: AFP)

“If a right-wing populist punch in the form of Brexit was followed by a left-wing populist punch in the form of unreconstructed hard left economics, Britain would hit the canvas - flat on our back and be out for a long count.”

Mr Blair did hail Labour’s “remarkable result” last month and paid tribute to Mr Corbyn’s “temperament in the campaign, to the campaign’s mobilisation of younger voters, and to the enthusiasm it generated.”

But he warned Labour should not assume it is now on the path to victory, as “the Tories are not going to run another campaign like that one.”

He said that now people see Mr Corbyn as a plausible PM, Labour’s economic programme will come under “vastly greater scrutiny”.

(Image: PA)

And he added: “Policies which were wrong in May didn’t suddenly become right in June.”

Most pressingly Mr Blair urged the Labour leader to swiftly change course on Europe and campaign for Britain to remain inside a reformed EU single market.

“If Labour continues to be for leaving the single market, and the signs are that it will, then we are essentially for the same policy as the Government,” Mr Blair said.

“This will become apparent to those who voted Remain. But more than that, it puts us in the same damaging position for the economy as the Tories.”

(Image: PA)

Slamming the effect the Brexit vote has already had on the nation, Mr Blair said: “We feel like a country which has lost its footing and is stumbling; but seemingly with no choice but to stagger on.

And he said we should now be using the election of French President Emmanuel Macron to try to press for a reformed Europe, of which we can remain a part.

“I agree that if the will of the British people remains as it was last June, then Brexit will happen,” he said.

“But - to state what in a less surreal world would be blindingly obvious - it is possible that as we know more about what Brexit means, our ‘will’ changes.

“Our leaders should at least lead a proper debate about the options before us.”

And he added: “Rational consideration of the options would sensibly include the option of negotiating for Britain to stay within a Europe prepared to reform and meet us half way.”