Blair backs Cherie in conman row

British Prime Minister Tony Blair insists his wife did not meddle in moves to deport the conman who helped her buy two flats.

He has defended Cherie after solicitors representing convicted fraudster Peter Foster confirmed she had telephoned them to inquire about the case.

Mr Blair said it had been handled "entirely properly", with "no political interference".

Downing Street had earlier said Mrs Blair - a friend of Mr Foster's girlfriend Carole Caplin - did not "assist" the Australian in his legal battle against deportation from the UK.

In an interview with the Financial Times - given before the news of the phone call broke - Mr Blair played down the importance of the row.

He said: "This is just part of what comes with the territory nowadays. This type of media frenzy will come and it will go."

Mr Foster's solicitors said Mrs Blair took part in a conference call on 22 November, but this was only "to reassure" Ms Caplin about the progress of immigration proceedings.

The solicitor's statement stressed Mrs Blair "did not intrude into our conduct of the proceedings and for the avoidance of doubt, had no say whatsoever in our choice of representation".

The row began last week when it was reported that Mr Foster had boasted that Mrs Blair had asked him to negotiate the purchase of two luxury flats in Bristol.

Mrs Blair said she had not known of Mr Foster's criminal past when she first accepted his offers of help for the flat sale.