LONDON, Dec 28: Tony Blair's office defended his holiday at the US mansion of pop star Robin Gibb, saying on Thursday the British prime minister had paid for the stay.
Opposition Conservatives and newspapers savaged Mr Blair over his year-end break at the Bee Gees star's luxurious Florida home, demanding to know whether it was costing British taxpayers money or if Blair was enjoying a free holiday.
The Daily Mail printed a front-page story about the visit under the headline “Shameless” and asked in an editorial: “Is any degradation too deep for Tony Blair in his quest for a glitzy family holiday on the cheap?”
Blair's Downing Street office declined to give any details about the prime minister's holiday but a spokeswoman said:
“There is a private commercial arrangement in place”.
The Daily Mail quoted Gibb's wife Dwina as saying that the couple had neither asked for nor accepted money from Blair, who it said was relaxing at the 5.2 million pound ($10.2 million) seafront mansion with wife Cherie and three of their children.
A similar house would cost up to 40,000 pounds a week to rent, reports said.
Newspapers said the visit raised concerns of a possible conflict of interest as Gibb has lobbied ministers to extend copyright laws to allow performers to profit from their hits for longer.
The controversy over his holiday comes as Blair is embroiled in a party funding scandal. British police questioned Blair this month in an investigation into allegations that state honours were handed out in return for loans to his party.
Blair has been in office for more than nine years but he has said he will step down next year as his popularity slumped over his support for the Iraq war and government scandals.
RICH AND FAMOUS: It is not the first time Blair has drawn fire over his holidays with the rich and famous.
He has stayed several times at singer Cliff Richard's Barbados mansion and has visited the Sardinian villa of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Blair has in the past made donations to charity to cover the cost of hospitality he has received.
Conservative legislator Chris Grayling told The Daily Telegraph that Blair's holiday raised questions about how Blair conducted himself. “We need very clear details on who is paying for this holiday or whether it is a 'freebie',” he said.—Reuters
