Tony Blair told Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to find a "safe place to go"

Tony Blair urged Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to find a "safe place to go" as Arab Spring protests spiralled into civil war.

The former prime minister made the "very private call" to Gaddafi in February 2011, six months before his death and the collapse of his regime.

A transcript of the call has been released by the US State Department as part of its continued release of Hillary Clinton's emails when she was secretary of state.

Blair is quoted as saying:

If you have a safe place to go then you should go there, because this will not end peacefully unless that happens and there has to be a process of change. That process of change can be managed and we have to find a way of managing it.

I have talked to people and everyone wants a peaceful end to this.

He added:

The US and the EU are in a tough position right now and I need to take something back to them which ensures this ends peacefully,” the email quotes him as saying.

If people saw the leader standing aside they would be content with that. If this goes on for another day/two days we will go past the point. I'm saying this because I believe it deeply. If we can't get a way through/out very quickly this will go past the point of no return.

Gaddafi later went into hiding and died in August in the Battle of Sirte. Four rival organisations are still battling for control of Libya.

Who said it: Tony Blair or Jeremy Corbyn?

More: Jeremy Corbyn is Labour leader and people are trolling Tony Blair

More: Tony Blair quits as peace envoy after spending eight years bringing stability to the Middle East