Brown and Blair have worked together for years

The prime minister said his partnership with the chancellor was probably the strongest in British politics.

An upcoming book by Mr Blair's ex-economics adviser has sparked new reports of tense links between No 10 and the Treasury.

On Tuesday, the prime minister attacked the motives of insiders writing books.

'Long-standing relationship'

He was asked about speculation about his links with Mr Brown in an interview with Steve Wright on BBC Radio 2.

Mr Blair said: "The fact is that of course, as a chancellor and prime minister, there will be issues that will arise between you which you have to try to resolve.

"But it has probably been the strongest partnership of British politics over a 15-year or 20-year period and it will remain so, even if there are disagreements.

If you want to sell the book, you have to have something that is inflammatory in it Tony Blair on insider accounts

"There are disagreements from time to time, of course. That happens in any walk of life.

"But actually these disagreements get vastly magnified and, actually, if you look back, he has been a fantastic and successful chancellor with a stable economy, low unemployment, high employment, and we have worked together to bring these things about.

"We are working very well on the forward plans we have got for the future."

Authors attacked

Former Downing Street adviser Derek Scott is due to publish a book this autumn which is said to detail shouting matches between the prime minister and chancellor.

Mr Blair said people writing their books was a "continual swirl" which was a problem with modern political life.

"But why do they write these books? They basically sell the serial rights to a newspaper, who will publish excerpts from the book, and what anyone knows is if you want to sell the book, you have to have something that is inflammatory in it," he said.

Mr Blair said he hoped to lead Labour into the next election.

Asked if there was a date in the back of his mind for when he would ideally like to leave 10 Downing Street, he answered: "If there is, it will stay there."