Bill Clinton, the former US President, hopes to become a roving ambassador to restore the international reputation of the United States if his wife, Hillary, wins next year’s presidential election.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Clinton said that he would accept any job offered to him by his wife.

But he added: “Probably I would be of most use to her doing something to try to help restore America’s standing in the world and build up allies and get us to work together again."

He said that despite his experience as President, his wife, if elected, would be firmly in charge.

“In the end she would make her own decisions just as I did when I was President,” he said. “She would be a great president and I would be the happiest person on earth if she could get elected.”

Mr Clinton said it would be “good for the entire world” if Hillary won the White House, as American foreign policy since he left office in 2001 had alienated the nation from the global community.

“I think that we, the US Government, decided to squander the co-operation and support we had after 9/11,” he said.

After the Afghanistan war, which had widespread support, the US “diverted our attention to Iraq, which most of the world didn’t agree with,” he said.

“We did it after having secured UN approval for inspections with the threat of force if Saddam didn’t co-operate, but the Government didn’t let the inspectors finish.

“Most of the alienation stems from that, plus the withdrawal from the Kyoto climate change treaty and the withdrawal from the anti-ballistic missile treaty and walking away from the non-proliferation movement and getting out of the international criminal court and withdrawing military aid for Latin America when they didn’t agree to let us get out of the international criminal court, at the very time we were having competition from less democratic forces there."

Mr Clinton said that he detected a greater desire among American voters for a multi-lateralist approach to foreign policy than ever before.

He said: "There was a period after 9/11 when we decided on a go-it-alone, our-way-or-the-highway approach, which I think really alienated a lot of the world.

"Most Americans - at least most American policy-makers, including a lot in the Republican Party - didn’t agree with this course.”

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll today showed Hillary Clinton pulling away from her rivals for the nomination to be the Democratic candidate for President.

The newspaper reported 53 per cent support for Mrs Clinton, compared with 20 per cent for Senator Barak Obama and 13 per cent for John Edwards.

As speculation continues over the prospect of a snap election in Britain, Mr Clinton also gave his views on the leaders of the two main political parties.

The former President hailed Gordon Brown as a potentially “great Prime Minister”. But on the subject of Mr Brown’s Tory counterpart, David Cameron, he was less sure.

Mr Clinton praised Mr Brown’s “exemplary” handling of the economy as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and described him as a “mate” who was an “intelligent, disciplined, profoundly concerned person”.

He said: "I think he is capable of being a great Prime Minister and I think he is off to a good start.”

Mr Cameron, however, does not enjoy the same international profile. Mr Clinton described him as merely “an interesting fellow”, albeit “well-spoken”.

The former President said: “I haven’t had the chance to meet him or study the back-and-forth of where they are on the issues. He is a good presence for the Conservative Party, but that’s about all I know.”

Times Recommends

• Experts baffled by vanishing sea lions
• CIA caught in a dirty and secretive war
• Double life of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab