Blair's celebrity spree at Chequers (oh, and you paid)

13 April 2012

Tony Blair used his last 18 months in power to entertain a bewildering array of minor celebrities at his official country retreat, it has emerged.

Chequers, historically used to receive foreign dignitaries, diplomats and ministers, played host to the likes of Charlotte Church and her rugby player partner Gavin Henson, husband-and-wife TV hosts Vernon Kay and Tess Daly, and GMTV presenters Fiona Phillips and Lorraine Kelly.

At taxpayer's expense, Mr Blair and wife Cherie also wined and dined Richard Madeley - though his wife Judy Finnegan was apparently unable to attend and he was accompanied instead by his daughter, Chloe.

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Tony Blair invited singer Charlotte Church (above with boyfriend Gavin Henson) to his official country residence

Also on the guest list, which the Government repeatedly delayed publishing, were Labour-supporting TV personality June Sarpong and DJ Chris Evans.

Opposition MPs said the revelations were the final proof of Mr Blair's "celebrity obsession" and claimed he had used Chequers as a "personal fiefdom".

Guests for the period between April 1 last year and June 27 this year were finally disclosed by Downing Street yesterday, nearly a month after Mr Blair left No10.

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They also included newsreader Kirsty Young, TV presenter Adrian Chiles and his wife Jane Garvey, a broadcaster on BBC Radio 5 Live, Ginny Buckley, former host of the BBC's Holiday programme, and fanatically Blairite newspaper columnist David Aaronovitch.

Blair's guest list included Richard Madeley and wife Judy Finnigan (left); and Channel 5 newsreader Kirsty Young

Sporting names on the list included England football manager Steve McClaren and former 10,000-metre runner Brendan Foster.

There had been speculation that some of the key figures in the cash-for-honours saga - such as Lord Levy and the businessmen who loaned Labour money - might have been among those to have enjoyed Chequers hospitality.

However, none appears on the list of official dinner guests.

Businessmen on the list instead include vacuum cleaner tycoon James Dyson and Pepsi boss Indra Nooyi.

Blair splashed out on 84 gifts for guests. He received an iPod from California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last July. Above Blair and Schwarzenegger outside Number 10 Downing Street in June 2006

Only a handful of politicians were fortunate enough to be invited to dinner by the Blairs. They included his former deputy John Prescott and his dutiful wife Pauline, former Home Secretary David Blunkett, and the new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

Liberal Democrat frontbencher Norman Lamb, who has prised out previous Chequers lists using the Freedom of Information Act, criticised the delay in releasing details this time.

He said: "Many of the names on this list reveal the frivolity and celebrity-obsessed nature of the Blair administration. However, it is absolutely staggering that it has taken so long to extract this information.

"For reasons that defy rational explanation, the Government has been treating the fact that Tony Blair enjoyed drinks with Vernon Kaye and Charlotte Church as a state secret."

Gordon Brown spent last weekend at Chequers - his first at the official residence in the Chilterns.

However, he is expected to make less use of it than Mr Blair, who used it as many weekends as possible.

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• The bill for Tony Blair's overseas trips during his final full year in Downing Street topped £1.6million, it emerged last night.

Official figures showed that a week-long Middle East tour, including a visit to British troops in Iraq, cost the taxpayer £323,162.

A trip to the U.S, including talks with President Bush and Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, came to more than £250,000.

Mr Blair took the Queen's Flight, which can be used by ministers as well as the Royal Family, to "travel to join family on holiday" in Italy in May 2006 - claiming the £3,925 cost was justified because he held talks with Italian PM Romano Prodi while he was there.

The total was down on the previous year, when it topped £2 million, but was up on 2004-2005, when it was £809,152.

The list ends in April, meaning the controversial "farewell tour" of foreign capitals during his last weeks in office is excluded.

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