End Cherie's lucrative lecture tours say Tories

Cherie Blair faced fresh accusations today of cashing in on her marriage to the Prime Minister.

The Conservatives formally demanded new Whitehall rules to forbid her from giving lucrative lectures about her life at No 10.

Shadow leader of the Commons Christopher Grayling wrote to the Government in unusually hostile terms to condemn her plan to give a paid speech to 2,500 people in Washington next week on the eve of her husband's official talks with George Bush. The event is estimated to be earning her tens of thousands of pounds and follows a previous lecture tour to Australia.

Mr Grayling wrote: "It is clear that these two visits were designed to make significant amounts of money for the Blair family.

"Equally it appears that they were not linked to her work as a barrister, which is and should be entirely a matter for her, but rather emanated from her position as the wife of the Prime Minister."

The Conservatives say such tours would not be allowed for the First Lady in America although they concede that they do not breach the ministerial code that sets out possible areas of conflicts of interest.

But Mr Grayling added: "However, most reasonable people would see a clear link between this kind of fund raising and the role of the Prime Minister. Indeed ... it is quite clear that Mr Blair does derive a direct and personal financial benefit when Mrs Blair undertakes money-making lectures of this kind." He called for a cross-party review of the code to set limits on commercial activities by the spouses of ministers.

Downing Street said today it was a coincidence Mrs Blair's speech was on the same day Mr Blair arrives for talks with President Bush. A spokesman said: "It was planned a long time ago.

"It is a private trip and she is travelling independently."