Tony Blair has hinted at a dramatic return to politics

Tony Blair has hinted at a return to frontline politics, and insisted the matter is "an open question."

The former prime minister told Esquire magazine that he was searching for a role which would help his party to reclaim the centre ground of British politics.

"I don't know if there's a role for me. There's a limit to what I want to say about my own position at this moment," he said.

"All I can say is that this is where politics is at. Do I feel strongly about it? Yes, I do. Am I very motivated by that? Yes. Where do I go from here? What exactly do I do? That's an open question."

He also attacked the "ultra-left" Jeremy Corbyn for his belief that "action on the street is as important as action in the parliament."

"One culture is the culture of the Labour Party as a party of government. And that, historically, is why Labour was formed: to win representation in Parliament and ultimately to influence and to be the government of the country," he said.

"The other culture is the ultra-left, which believes that the action on the street is as important as the action in Parliament. That culture has now taken the leadership of the Labour Party. It's a huge problem because they live in a world that is very, very remote from the way that broad mass of people really think," he added.

Blair announced in September that he would close down "the bulk" of his post-political business ventures, which involved associating with some of the most autocratic leaders in the world, including Nursultan Nazarbayev, the dictator of Kazakhstan.

He would face significant challenges if he does decide to return to politics. He was heavily criticised in July's Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war, and 53% of the public say they will "never forgive" him for his role in the country's invasion.

He is also, however, the most successful leader in Labour's history, having led the party to general election victories on three occasions between 1997 and 2005.