Blair guru makes no decision on book

By Jon Smith BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman insisted yesterday it was entirely up to the premier and his wife if they saw lifestyle guru Carole Caplin "in a personal capacity".

Ms Caplin has hit the headlines with reports that she has had her No 10 security pass taken from her, and plans to write a book about her time with the Blairs and feels threatened by people prying into her affairs.

But Ms Caplin's spokesman Ian Monk said: "We absolutely don't know for certain if she intends to write a book and I have no knowledge of what she's intending to write.

"All I would say is she has got an awful lot of offers in front of her if she were inclined to write.

"She has got some very substantial offers in front of her, which go through a range of things from lifestyle to accounts of life with her friends," said Mr Monk.

"All these things are there but absolutely no decisions have been made."

In one report yesterday Ms Caplin said she was "terrified" that she was being spied on.

Individuals claiming to be journalists or staff from a Downing Street office have tried to get information about Ms Caplin's business dealings in her role as a buyer for the Blairs, the Mail on Sunday reported.

And mystery phone calls have been made to her bank, using secret codes that only she would know, in further attempts to get private information, the paper said.

Ms Caplin told the paper she was worried her phone had been bugged and that she found being under surveillance deeply upsetting.

"I understand how that man Kelly felt," she said.

"This is just scary. I'm terrified and I don't know why they're watching me like this."

A spokesman for Ms Caplin said the Mail on Sunday's article was "accurate" and "a fair reflection of Carole's views".

Mr Blair's official spokesman said yesterday: "Any issues relating to security and Downing Street are issues we don't comment on, and in respect of all the other stories around about

Carole Caplin who the Blairs might or might not see in a personal capacity is entirely a matter for them. It is not a matter for me and I don't think I should speak on it.

"I haven't seen what's in the papers and I don't wish to say anything. I have spent probably all of three minutes dealing with this subject over the weekend."

Asked if No 10 was contemplating legal action to prevent Ms Caplin revealing details of the Blairs' lives at No 10 should she be planning to do so the spokesman replied: "I don't know. I don't know if these reports are accurate."

Ms Caplin has been reported as accepting that she will no longer have an "intimate" role with Mrs Blair, visiting her at home, but will continue to see her friend regularly away from No 10 or Chequers.