Journalist and former MP Martin Bell has spoken about his new book as preparations for this year's Oxford Literary Festival get under way.

Mr Bell's new book, The Truth That Sticks: New Labour's Breach of Trust, draws on his experience of politics and war.

He said: "I was looking for a book that explained how we had got to where we were, in terms of Parliamentary sleaze and fighting an illegal war. I couldn't find one, so I decided to write the book myself."

In the book, Tony Blair is held up as a man who ordered the armed forces to war on the basis of deception.

In his view, the former Prime Minister's character was crucial.

"I think he practised politics as a performing art. He appears to have no sense of history. And, like everyone else in his Government, he had no military experience.

"I believed he liked playing the military card, being photographed with soldiers on the front, basking in their reflected glory, without any awareness of the level of slaughter or the fact that you cannot change people's hearts and minds with high explosives."

The book also discusses UK issues, such as Bernie Ecclestone, cash for peerages and David Blunkett.

A dinner with Martin Bell is being held at Christ Church on Friday, April 4, and he will be speaking in the Literary Festival Marquee on Saturday, April 5.

Other speakers at this year's festival include journalists James Naughtie, Max Hastings, Mark Tully, Roy Greenslade and Robert Fisk.