Blair faces the music on Iraq

In an interview with Radio 1 listeners, Mr Blair said he hoped to persuade people the threat of military action had "nothing to do with Iraq being a Muslim country".

In a wide-ranging question and answer session, the prime minister also spoke about the euro, the firefighters strike, fox-hunting - and which Radio 1 DJ he would like to be.

He also touched on his musical tastes, confessing to a fondness for Irish band U2 and the new album by US hard rockers the Foo Fighters.

Cabinet splits denied

Among the trickier questions fired at the PM by the young audience were: "You keep referring to whether we should attack Iraq.

"If your Cabinet is divided and you haven't had a referendum, is it simply the "Royal we" you are referring to?"

Mr Blair denied there were any Cabinet splits on the issue.

Replying to a listener who said British Muslims could not support him, Mr Blair said he "passionately" believed the threat against Iraq had "nothing to do with Iraq being a Muslim country".

"It is to do with the weapons of mass destruction that Saddam has.

"I think it would be a tragedy if an issue which is really to do with weapons of mass destruction becomes a religious issue," Mr Blair insisted.

Fire strike

The prime minister added: "I know what you say represents the views of a lot of British Muslims who are very worried about this".

Mr Blair also defended the government's stance on the fire fighters strike.

"No government could concede a 40% wage claim, with 2% inflation.

"Interest rates would go up, unemployment would go up, your mortgages would go up and we would lose control of the economy".

Music tastes

Battling a sore throat, the prime minister said his insight into pop music was these days limited to what he could hear emanating from his children's bedrooms.

He said he "usually listens to the albums that my kids listen to..Coldplay, there's a new Foo Fighters.

"When you've got teenage children, ..you're trying to get through your boxes, the sounds are usually bouncing off the walls".

Sniggers

Mr Blair, who famously sang in a rock band at Oxford and once played host to Noel Gallagher of Oasis at Downing Street, said his own "favourite" listening was U2.

Mr Blair provoked a few sniggers and cries of "aaah" by saying the first record he bought was "I Want to Hold your Hand" by the Beatles.

"I was only 10 at the time," he hastily added.

He was similarly discomfited when asked which Radio 1 DJ he would be.

Mr Blair eventually replied: "In my day it was more like John Peel" - perhaps unaware the veteran DJ still works for Radio 1.

The interview was also broadcast on the BBC's new digital network 1Xtra.