Blair goes YouTube to toast Sarkozy

YouTube's not just for clips of Diet Coke and Mentos: Tony Blair has used the video-sharing site to offer his congratulations to new French president Nicholas Sarkozy.

The video, which has been watched over 100,000 times, shows Blair praising his French counterpart and describing him as: "somebody I know well, I like him very much, I respect him, he's a strong leader."

As well as the 2.5 minute video in English, Blair has posted a longer, French language equivalent where he says he has taken the decision to address viewers in French "which might be a very bad idea."

The PM's office already has its own channel on YouTube, under the user name DowningSt, which house a selection of 15 videos including a road safety message and Tony Blair's 'am I bovvered?' Comic Relief effort.

Despite being a self-confessed technophobe, YouTube is not Blair's first dabble with new technology. He's already experimented with speaking with the electorate over IM; using a mobile chatroom and asking for opinions from voters via e-petitions.