Silvio Berlusconi and ex-Premiers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair

With the news of the death of Silvio Berlusconi, here's a look back at his relationship with former Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.

In Statecraft, Lady Thatcher writes of her support for him ahead of the Italian General Election in 2001, commenting, 'A concerted Europe-wide media campaign of vilification, the like of which I have rarely seen in politics, was launched against Signor Berlusconi to intimidate the Italian electorate into backing the left.'

She went on, 'I was infuriated by this, and lent my support to him and his colleagues in an open letter I wrote to the Italian press. It concluded: 'This is not the first such Europe-wide attempt to bully national electorates. But it may turn out to be the last - if Italy refused to bend the knee.''

Berlusconi's coalition won the election and Lady Thatcher concluded, 'The piece was widely reported and perhaps it did some good. At any rate, Italians voted heavily for the House of Freedom parties, and the Berlusconi government, as long as it keeps together now has a real chance of turning Italy into an efficient, prosperous, modern state.'

The letter was, for example, reported in Italia Oggi under the heading 'Thatcher is with Berlusconi'.

It was also reported in the UK, for example, by Richard Owen and Andrew Pierce in The Times on 12 May 2001 under the heading, 'Thatcher throws weight behind Berlusconi'.

While it is not possible to know what Lady Thatcher would have made of Mr Berlusconi's later career, after her death he paid tribute to her as a model and an example, even though some years earlier it was reported he'd made vulgar comments about her, alleging saying he'd remember her better if she was a beautiful chick.

In 2010, Tony Blair described Berlusconi as a 'friend' and Mr Blair has issued the following statement:

'Silvio Berlusconi was a larger than life figure with whom I worked closely for several years as Prime Minister. I know he was controversial for many but for me he was a leader whom I found capable, shrewd and, most important, true to his word.'

Of his friendship with Mr Berlusconi there is more in this 2005 Guardian article by Ed Vulliamy.