Tories demand answers on Cherie’s visit
Cherie Blair’s speaking engagements in America have come under renewed fire from the Conservatives.
The controversy started after it emerged last week that Mrs Blair was to give a commercial lecture in Washington on life in Downing Street at the same time as Tony Blair was in America meeting with George Bush.
The water was further mudded when it was revealed she would also be dining at the White House as a guest of Laura Bush.
Shadow Leader of the House Chris Grayling accused Mrs Blair of exploiting her husband’s job for profit and called for the Committee on Standards in Public Life to review the rules governing the spouses of ministers.
The ministerial code of conduct says ministers can not make any money from commercial activities in relation to their job, but spouses are not covered by this clause.
Number 10 insisted that Mrs Blair’s visit was a private matter and that the fact she was in Washington at the same time as Mr Blair’s meeting with Mr Bush was a coincidence.
But it has now emerged that the British Ambassador in Washington appeared on the same platform as Mrs Blair at her lecture.
Mr Grayling has now written to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw demanding answers.
Mr Grayling said: “This is a quite extraordinary development. Downing Street has spent all week telling us that this was an entirely private visit and yet it appears that the British Ambassador made an introductory speech on behalf of Mrs Blair before her lecture began. This would be completely inappropriate.
“I want the Foreign Secretary to provide an urgent explanation of what happened and why. The involvement of the Ambassador and the fact that Mrs Blair is staying in an official residence and visiting the White House means that she must donate the money she has received from this lecture to charity. It would be completely inappropriate for her and the Prime Minister to benefit financially from this.”
But speaking in Washington last night, Mrs Blair said the lecture had been arranged for nine months and joked: “It has crossed my mind, with all the 365 days on which Tony could have come to America, that today was not the best one for him to choose.”
