Heat is on Blair over summer holiday

Tony Blair today came under renewed fire for accepting "freebies" after it emerged that he and his family were staying at a third holiday destination this summer at no cost.

The Prime Minister, his wife Cherie and their children are to spend five days with Italian aristocrat Prince Girolamo Strozzi at his house near San Gimignano.

The Blairs are squeezing in their Tuscan break between their current 16-day holiday at Sir Cliff Richard's Barbados home and a two-day stay with Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi at his Sardinian villa.

In a separate development, Mr Blair has been personally criticised by former minister Geoffrey Robinson over a previous stay at his own Tuscan villa. A new book, Great Parliamentary Scandals, reveals that Mr Blair left without paying for his tennis lessons during his holiday there in 1997. Mr Robinson had to pick up the bill.

The former paymaster general has also revealed that Mrs Blair left with several of his books.

The Tories today seized on the revelations, which followed reports last week that the Blairs received a loan from former Lord Chancellor Lord Irvine to help them buy their constituency home in Sedgefield.

Party chairman Liam Fox said: "This sounds like a classic case of New Labour infighting and revenge. With both Lord Irvine and Geoffrey Robinson, it seems the chickens are coming home to roost. It's a pity that the Blairs' apparent love of freebies should put them in such an exposed position."

Although Mr Blair earns almost ?179,000 and his wife Cherie is reported to net ?250,000 a year as a barrister and part-time judge, they have come under repeated criticism for accepting free holidays and gifts.

Although the Prime Minister makes a charitable donation in lieu of rent when he is enjoying free hospitality, he has been condemned as a "sponger" by the Italian press for his free breaks.