Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has spoken of how his conversion to Catholicism was driven by his wife Cherie.

He told a religious press conference in Italy that Roman Catholicism "felt right" and added: "This is now where my heart is."

Mr Blair, who now runs the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, switched from the Anglican Church to Catholicism soon after leaving Downing Street two years ago. His wife and children were already Catholic.

He told the Communion and Liberation meeting in the Italian resort of Rimini yesterday: "Ever since I began preparations to become a Catholic, I felt I was coming home; and this is now where my heart is, where I know I belong."

Mr Blair said he was "humbled" to make a speech to such eminent delegates as he was a "very new entrant" to the Catholic Church.

In off-the-cuff remarks reported by London's Evening Standard, he added: "Frankly, this all began with my wife. I began to go to Mass and we went together.

"We could have gone to the Anglican or Catholic church - guess who won?"

He went on: "As time went on, I had been going to Mass for a long time... it's difficult to find the right words.

"I felt this was right for me. There was something, not just about the doctrine of the Church, but of the universal nature of the Catholic Church."

Mr Blair, now also Middle East Quartet envoy, used his speech to tell delegates that it was always a "pleasure" to be in Italy.

"It is here in this country that I have spent many happy times; and where 30 years ago, almost to the day, I proposed to my wife and three decades and four children later, I at least am still pleased to recall the memory," he said.

He also spoke of his time as premier and leader of the opposition.