Tony Blair yesterday declared he wouldn't be driven from office over the cash-for-honours affair and warned the public not to believe many of the reports about the investigation.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the Prime Minister barely hid his frustration at the 10-month-long inquiry but declined to comment on the process. He did say some reports were completely untrue.

In the most poignant part of the interview, Mr Blair said he would not plead with anyone about his integrity - not even the public for whom he had the greatest respect.

"I'm not going to beg for my character in front of anyone. People can make up their mind about me according to what they think. But I know what type of person I am. I'm not going to get into a situation where I'm sort of pleading for my integrity, not even actually in front of the public even though I obviously have a deep respect for the British people and it's been an honour and privilege to lead them.

"I try to do my best. I have tried to do my best over 10 years. I don't say I have always got everything right. Of course, I have not. There have been mistakes and things that have gone wrong along the way. But when I look back on my 10 years, I do believe there is a lot that has been good for the country as well".

Mr Blair gave the interview against the backdrop of a noisy Labour Party.

Peter Hain, the Northern Ireland Secretary and contender for the deputy leadership, paraded his credentials yesterday by linking the cash-for-honours affair with a demand to make the House of Lords fully elected.

Mr Hain, echoing Harriet Harman who is also hoping to be Gordon Brown's deputy, told the London Evening Standard: "Especially given what has happened in recent times, and questions about how people are appointed and for what motive, the only way you resolve that is by having a fully-elected chamber.

"I will support as high a proportion of elected members as it is possible to achieve. I think for a law-making body it's much better to have an electoral mandate," he added.

Many Labour MPs, not all fans of Mr Blair, believe the time has come for the Metropolitan Police to put up or shut up. Some of the Prime Minister's robust colleagues are champing at the bit to criticise but Blair told them to hold back and let the investigation take its course. He told the BBC he would return to the studios once the inquiry was over.

Speaking in Edinburgh, David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, denied the government's agenda had been derailed. Saying the government had been elected to serve, he added: "We have a full programme and a great British tradition that you are innocent until proven guilty and I think anyone who is throwing mud should stop and let the police conduct their inquiries and get on with our daily business."

Philip Gould, the Prime Minister's personal pollster, rejected the suggestion that Mr Blair was an electoral liability.

Speaking on Radio 4's PM programme last night, he said: "Of course he's not an electoral liability. The fact he's been questioned by police a couple of times doesn't turn an outstanding Prime Minister into an electoral liability. We have to take the long view. The public will take the long view and they do believe he is a remarkable Prime Minister."

Repeating his calls for the Prime Minister's resignation, Sir Menzies Campbell said: "This is a Prime Minister treading water while his cabinet moves on. He should go sooner rather than later."