Tony Blair has admitted he is baffled at the popularity of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK and Bernie Sanders in the United States.

But despite admitting he does not 'fully understand politics right now' he warned the US Democrats not to elect the left-wing outsider as their presidential candidate because like Mr Corbyn in Britain he would fail to win a General Election.

Attempting to explain the rise in popularity of the maverick politicians on both sides of the Atlantic, Mr Blair suggested it was partly caused by an anger at elites and a desire to elect people who would 'rattle the cage'.

Tony Blair, pictured on US TV this morning, admitted he did not 'fully understand' the rise in popularity of political mavericks on both sides of the Atlantic, such as Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn

Tony Blair attempted to explain the rise of Bernie Sanders (pictured in South Carolina today) Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at today's Prime Minister's Questions) on the rising anger at elites and the desire to elect people who would 'rattle the cage'

He also attributed their rise in popularity on the 'flatlining' in living standards for lower and middle income households.

The former Labour prime minister, who won three successive elections in the UK, accused Mr Sanders and Mr Corbyn of making unrealistic pledges and suggested this was also behind the sharp rise in mavericks, including Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

'It's very similar to the pitch of Jeremy Corbyn,' Mr Blair said of Mr Sander's popularity. 'Free tuition fees: well, that's great, but someone's going to have pay for it. An end to war, but there are wars.

'In the end it is about getting the support to win in order to do things for the people who desperately need help,' he added in an interview with the Guardian and Financial Times on a visit to the US.

Mr Blair is supporting Mr Sander's rival Hilary Clinton in the US presidential race - an unsurprising endorsement since he worked closely with Bill Clinton during their time in office.

The former Labour prime minister was speaking on a visit to the United States, where he told Fox TV (pictured) that leaving the EU could trigger the break up of the UK because Scotland would demand a second independence referendum

Admitting he struggled to comprehend the forces of modern politics, Mr Blair said: 'One of the strangest things about politics at the moment – and I really mean it when I say I'm not sure I fully understand politics right now, which is an odd thing to say, having spent my life in it – is when you put the question of electability as a factor in your decision to nominate a leader, it's how small the numbers are that this is the decisive factor. That sounds curious to me.'

And in an interview with Fox TV this morning, he added: 'I've got such a long experience in politics but looking in politics today - whether on the left or the right - maybe I just don't understand it anymore.'

'IT WOULD BE CRAZY NOT TO JOIN THE EURO': HOW TONY BLAIR NEARLY TOOK US INTO THE EURO Tony Blair, pictured at an EU summit in 2004, once said he would recommend Britain joins the euro even if the British public disagreed June 1998: 'The decision to launch the single currency is the first step and marks the turning point for Europe, marks stability and growth and is crucial to high levels of growth and employment.' June 2001: 'Even if it [taking Britain into the euro] is unpopular, I will recommend it if it is the right thing to do.' November 2001: 'The tragedy for British politics - for Britain - has been that politicians of both parties have consistently failed, not just in the 1950s but on up to the present day, to appreciate the emerging reality of European integration. And in doing so they have failed Britain's interests.' December 2001: 'The new year sees the introduction of the European single currency. With so much of our trade and so many of our jobs tied up in business with the rest of Europe, it is massively in our interests that the euro succeeds. 'It remains the government's policy to join the euro provided that the five economic tests we have laid down are met and the British people give their consent in a referendum.' May 2002: 'I certainly believe passionately that this country and its destiny lies in Europe. 'Should we stand apart from the alliance right on our doorstep as a country? It would be crazy to do that. 'It is an economic union. We shouldn't, for political reasons, stand aside. I don't believe that would be a fulfilment of our national interest. I believe it would be a betrayal of our national interest.' Advertisement

'This is partly to do with great waves of emotion which are partisan, but then you've got a big centre ground in politics as well and that tends to reassert itself at election times.'

Mr Blair also warned that leaving the EU would trigger the break up of the United Kingdom.

In his first intervention on the EU referendum campaign since David Cameron called the vote for June 23, Mr Blair predicted that the SNP's demands for a second referendum would be impossible to ignore if Scottish voters are taken out of the EU against their will.

'I hope and believe that we will vote to stay,' he said.

'If we don't, by the way, I think Scotland would almost certainly vote to leave Britain, so this is a double test in a sense.'

He brushed aside the significance of Boris Johnson backing Brexit, saying the vote is about more than one individual.

Asked what role he would like to play in the run up to the referendum, Mr Blair said he would do whatever the In campaign wanted him to do.

But opponents of Britain's membership of the EU are likely to point to Mr Blair's strong support for joining the euro as proof that he has little credibility when it comes to deciding whether to stay in the 28-state bloc.

At the time of the euro's introduction in 2002 Mr Blair said it would be 'crazy' for Britain not to join the single currency.

Speaking on a visit to the United States today, Mr Blair said quitting the would have consequences for the 'future of the UK itself' because it would 'completely change the dynamic around Scottish independence.'

Asked by the BBC which way he saw the referendum result going, Mr Blair said today: 'I think in the end the British people, because they are sensible, will not take this risk,' adding that he 'desperately hopes' the UK will stay in the EU.

Mr Blair praised David Cameron for achieving a 'significant amount' in his EU renegotiation and have him his full backing in the campaign to stay in the EU, saying: 'Those of us who share that perspective will give him the support we can'.

Speaking in Washington earlier in the day, Mr Blair also hit out at the 'populist' responses to the terror threat from both the far right and far left, which he said had delivered 'solutions that make a tweet but not a policy'.

In comments which may be seen as directed both at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and at US Republican presidential contenders like Donald Trump, Mr Blair lamented a 'polarisation' of debate on both sides of the Atlantic which he said had undermined serious policy making.

Mr Blair warned that Europe faces 'not the possibility but the probability of serious terrorist attacks', which could have a fundamental impact on the continent's politics.

And he warned that extremist ideologies hostile to peaceful co-existence with other faiths were not the preserve of a 'fringe of fanatics' measured in the tens of thousands, but were accepted by tens of millions of Muslims.

The former prime minister was speaking at the launch in Washington DC of a new Commission on Countering Violent Extremism which he will co-chair with the aim of developing a 'muscular centrist' policy approach to jihadist ideology and violence.

Mr Blair told the Centre for Strategic and International Studies thinktank: 'There are those on the left who want us to dis-engage, who believe that our policies are largely the cause of this extremism and that if we leave well alone, it will resolve itself. There are those on the right who believe Islam itself is the problem, thus in a strange way affirming the position of the extremists that the West and Islam are in immutable conflict with each other.

'This polarisation of the debate is mirrored both sides of the Atlantic and the casualty is serious policy making. Both far left and far right come together in advocating solutions that make a tweet but not a policy.

'We need a new approach - what I might term a more muscular centrist one - which in a sense is a synthesis of the lessons of the whole period since 9/11 and can unify our people behind it. We require a combination of military and security capability to counter the violence; together with a deep strategy to counter the ideology of extremism which breeds it.'

Mr Blair said that the fight against radical Islamism cannot be won without the leadership of the West, but that current policy responses were 'inadequate' to the threat.

'There is a justified anxiety that we do not, as of now, despite all the experience and some progress, have a fully effective strategy to counter it,' he said.

'Populist solutions, which are not solutions at all, are gaining ground on both sides of the Atlantic. But the reality is this. There is no safety in isolation. This is a struggle with no borders, no zones of immunity, and no volition whether to participate.'

Mr Blair said the new Commission, which he is co-chairing with former CIA director Leon Panetta, would analyse issues including radicalisation, military methods for confronting jihadis and proposals for a systematic international response to extremist threats.

He warned: 'I believe - but of course this is something the Commission should test - that the problem is not a fringe of fanatics but a spectrum with an ideology; that this ideology has its roots in a perversion of religion - the religion of Islam - and a world view derived from it which is innately hostile to the West and to peaceful co-existence between those of different faiths; and that if we do not challenge and defeat this ideology we will never eradicate the violence which is the product of it.'

Tony Blair claims the UK would break up if Britain leaves the EU as the former prime minister makes first referendum intervention

The passionately pro-EU Tony Blair warned that leaving the EU would trigger the break up of the UK as it would be impossible to ignore demands for a second Scottish independence referendum

Tony Blair has warned that leaving the EU would trigger the break up of the United Kingdom.

In his first intervention on the EU referendum campaign since David Cameron called the vote for June 23, the former Prime Minister predicted that the SNP's demands for a second referendum would be impossible to ignore if Scottish voters are taken out of the EU against their will.

'I hope and believe that we will vote to stay,' he said.

'If we don't, by the way, I think Scotland would almost certainly vote to leave Britain, so this is a double test in a sense.'

He also brushed aside the significance of Boris Johnson backing Brexit, saying the vote is about more than one individual.

Asked what role he would like to play in the run up to the referendum, Mr Blair said he would do whatever the In campaign wanted him to do.

But opponents of Britain's membership of the EU are likely to point to Mr Blair's strong support for joining the euro as proof that he has little credibility when it comes to deciding whether to stay in the 28-state bloc.

At the time of the euro's introduction in 2002 Mr Blair said it would be 'crazy' for Britain not to join the single currency.

Speaking on a visit to the United States today, Mr Blair said quitting the would have consequences for the 'future of the UK itself' because it would 'completely change the dynamic around Scottish independence.'

Asked by the BBC which way he saw the referendum result going, Mr Blair said today: 'I think in the end the British people, because they are sensible, will not take this risk,' adding that he 'desperately hopes' the UK will stay in the EU.

Mr Blair praised David Cameron for achieving a 'significant amount' in his EU renegotiation and have him his full backing in the campaign to stay in the EU, saying: 'Those of us who share that perspective will give him the support we can'.

Speaking in Washington earlier in the day, Mr Blair also hit out at the 'populist' responses to the terror threat from both the far right and far left, which he said had delivered 'solutions that make a tweet but not a policy'.

In comments which may be seen as directed both at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and at US Republican presidential contenders like Donald Trump, Mr Blair lamented a 'polarisation' of debate on both sides of the Atlantic which he said had undermined serious policy making.

Mr Blair warned that Europe faces 'not the possibility but the probability of serious terrorist attacks', which could have a fundamental impact on the continent's politics.