Cameron praises Blair on G8 achievements

David Cameron has praised Tony Blair for driving poverty and climate change up the agenda of G8 summits over recent years.

Speaking across the floor of the House of Commons, Mr Cameron said: "The prime minister can take credit for pushing the issues of climate change and poverty up the agenda of the most powerful group of nations in the world.

"We on this side of the House will always ask the appropriate questions about the delivery of the promises that have been made, but raising the profile of these issues is a genuine achievement for which many have cause to be grateful."

Mr Blair appeared slightly flustered by the praise and he stammered several times before launching into his response.

The comments by the Tory leader hark back to promises made early in his leadership concerning the end of "Punch and Judy politics".

They also conform to a Conservative strategy hoping to drive a political wedge between him and his successor, Gordon Brown. The Tories are attempting to paint Mr Brown as an unreconstructed left-winger and themselves as the natural heirs to the prime minister's legacy.

Tony Blair was making a speech to the House summarising the agreements reached at the G8 summit in Germany.

First among these was the agreement reached on climate change, which Mr Blair described as "a substantial step forward".

"There will be no effective climate change accord without the United States. The United States will not agree without China being part of it," he argued.

"Now we have an agreement in principle, a goal, and a process to achieve it."

Mr Cameron replied: "The agreement reached at G8 is welcome and we should congratulate the prime minister for his part in achieving it."

But the Tory leader did express concern that American rhetoric may not "translate into action".

There was also consensus on the tension in Russian-UK relations, with Mr Blair admitting "issues between our two countries remain unresolved" after bilateral talks between the two leaders.

But Mr Cameron seemed significantly less impressed by the prime minister's enthusiasm for G8 aid commitments, although he used considerably more diplomatic language than that employed by Bono and Bob Geldoff following the summit.

Highlighting the concerns of some development charities, he asked how much of the money promised in Germany was "new money" and not "already pledged, or part of existing packages".

"What can he say to those who after the enthusiasm of Live Aid now feel quite disappointed?" he asked the prime minister.