Tony Blair has been labelled a “complete liar” by the author of an explosive book on Donald Trump for denying that he asked an adviser to the American president for a job.

Journalist Michael Wolff, who published Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House in January, claimed he saw the former prime minister “sucking up” to Mr Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

Mr Wolff, appearing on BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, was asked about his comments that Mr Blair had tried to “get a job as part of the Middle East Quartet”.

He told the programme: “I sat in the White House on the couch listening, I wasn’t supposed to overhear this, but they were standing right there, with Tony Blair and Jared Kushner standing not 15 feet in front of me with Tony Blair, let me choose my words carefully, sucking up to Jared Kushner.”

Asked about Mr Blair labelling the story a “complete fabrication”, Mr Wolff said: “Tony Blair is a complete liar – literally 15 feet away from me.”

A spokeswoman for Tony Blair said he had not “sought”, nor was offered, “such a role” from Mr Kushner.

She added: “As Tony Blair has said, this story is a complete fabrication. Michael Wolff has never been present at any conversation between Jared Kushner and Mr Blair.

“He neither sought such a role from Jared Kushner nor was offered one. And we note that many people have had the same experience with Michael Wolff.”