英国前首相托尼·布莱尔6日宣布取消原定于本周三（8日）在伦敦一家书店的回忆录签售活动，以避免部分民众的抗议活动引发混乱。

memoir¹ in central London amid concerns over planned protests." src="http://www.enread.com/upimg/allimg/100911/4_100911013605_1.jpg" width="408" height="305" />
Tony Blair has cancelled a high-profile signing session of his new memoir in central London amid concerns over planned protests.

Tony Blair has cancelled a high-profile signing session of his new memoir in central London amid concerns over planned protests.

The former prime minister was due to attend the flagship Waterstone's store in Piccadilly on Wednesday - where anti-war campaigners had promised a hostile（敌对的） reception.

But he said he did not want to subject the public to the "inevitable² hassle（困难，麻烦） " protests would cause or use up police resources keeping order at the event.

Eggs and shoes were hurled³（投掷） by protesters and one attempted to make a citizen's arrest when Mr. Blair signed copies of the book - A Journey - in Dublin.

Earlier, Mr. Blair said he was considering scrapping⁴ Wednesday's planned follow up amid suggestions other groups, including the British National Party could also turn up.

Announcing the decision in a statement today, Mr. Blair said he would provide signed copies to the store for those who had planned to attend.

"However, I have decided⁵ not to go ahead with the signing as I don't want the public to be inconvenienced（麻烦，打扰） by the inevitable hassle caused by protesters.

"I know the Metropolitan⁶ Police would, as ever, have done a superb job in managing any disruption but I do not wish to impose an extra strain on police resources, simply for a book signing.

In an earlier television interview Mr. Blair had said the event could be cancelled because he did not want to “put everyone through a lot of cost and hassle” and it “is not as if we need to do it”. The book has already broken sales records.

Asked why he was considering undertaking⁷ such a book signing given the “lively”, protests, Mr. Blair told ITV’s new Daybreak morning show: “That is quite a good point and frankly⁸ in Dublin this is a classic example (where) people that come and protest are in a small minority.

“The ones that are doing all the protesting are the ones that get all the publicity⁹. To be frank I am concerned. I don’t want to put everyone through a lot of cost and hassle at this Wednesday’s signing so I am just thinking about that.

Mr. Blair has already been subjected to a mischievous¹⁰（淘气的，恶作剧的） internet campaign, where some critics want his book to be placed in the crime section of all bookstores.

Heavy discounting helped early sales of Mr. Blair's book. It was reduced by 50 per cent to £12.50 at Waterstone's, Amazon and WHSmith.

A Journey is on target to become Amazon.co.uk's biggest selling memoir of all time, selling more than three times as many copies on its release date as Mr. Mandelson's book.

A Journey includes revealing anecdotes¹¹（奇闻轶事） about the ex-premier's time in power, ranging from his concerns about the amount he was drinking to his views on his colleagues' extramarital（私通的，婚外的） affairs.

Much attention has focused on Mr. Blair's detailed¹² account of the rift¹³ between himself and Gordon Brown, and his concerns about his chancellor's fitness to follow him into 10 Downing Street.

Describing Mr. Brown as brilliant but ''maddening'', Mr. Blair blamed his successor for losing the last election by deviating¹⁴ from（偏离，脱离） the New Labour message.

Published as the first votes were cast in Labour's leadership contest, the book includes a warning that the party must not to drift to the left if it wants to win the next election.