CONVICTED conman Peter Foster says he does not want to be known as the man who brought down Tony Blair.

But that does not change the facts — as he sees them — that the British Prime Minister had a sexual relationship with his ex- girlfriend, lifestyle consultant Carole Caplin.

With the London media sent into a frenzy over the allegations, Mr Foster told The Australian he was incensed by the denials from Downing Street.

Mr Blair’s office has accused Mr Foster of trying to promote his forthcoming memoirs. “We have absolutely no intention of taking these claims seriously and neither should anyone else,” a spokesman said. Ms Caplin has also dismissed her former lover’s allegations. “He is just a fantasist and these absurd stories shouldn’t be given any credibility,” she said.

But Mr Foster said he was not trying to promote a forthcoming book and, in fact, was trying to have its publication blocked. He said the latest claims came out after London’s Daily Mail sought verification of material for his biography, being ghost-written by one of the paper’s journalists.

“Yes, I have a bad reputation … Let’s now deal with the real issues,” he said. “When I first met Carol I quickly learnt she had a relationship with Tony Blair.”

Mr Foster said he was old enough not to get too jealous about someone’s past, but became perturbed at evidence the relationship was ongoing. He said it became obvious to him in the latter half of 2002 that the relationship between Ms Caplin and Mr Blair was ongoing.

Mr Foster said Ms Caplin was pregnant with his child in September 2002 when they had a blazing row over Mr Blair, and she miscarried the next day. “She and I had an horrific argument over my allegations that she was being unfaithful.” he said. “To my utter shame I had that argument and still hold myself responsible for that miscarriage.”