Tony Blair shrugs reports

LONDON, Apr 21: British Prime Minister Tony Blair's party shrugged off reports on Friday that his wife billed it nearly 8,000 pounds for a hairstylist during last year's general election.

Newspapers yesterday had a field day over reports that Cherie Blair had cost the party's campaign fund 275 pounds a day for the full-time services of a French stylist from a trendy London salon for a month.

Other Labour party members of parliament complained that her hairstyling bill was more than they had spent on their entire campaigns. But Blair's party said it was money well spent.

''So what?'' a Labour party spokesman said. ''Mrs Blair worked fantastically hard during the election and visited more than 50 constituencies during the campaign. She is enormously popular with the party, and don't forget, we won the election.'' The Blairs, who holiday at the villas of millionaire friends such as Silvio Berlusconi and Cliff Richard, have long brushed off a reputation as elitists in a traditionally socialist political party.

Three years ago Cherie, a prominent human rights lawyer, apologised before cameras in tears after reports that the convicted fraudster boyfriend of her personal lifestyle guru had advised the Blairs on buying apartments.

Opponents have also accused Cherie of profiting from her husband's status by charging five-figure fees for speaking engagements abroad during his official visits.

Opposition Conservatives could not resist pointing out that their candidate Michael Howard's wife Sandra -- a former Vogue model no less -- had billed his campaign for just a single haircut, costing a mere 65 pounds.

''It is a slight contrast to Sandra Howard's expenditure,'' a Conservative spokeswoman said of Cherie Blair's hair bill.

But some newspapers were surprisingly sympathetic.

''Consider the alternatives. Either Cherie, or the party, could pay for her to look good ... and look good she did. Or else she could have scrimped, saved a few pounds and attracted daily ridicule for her erratic grooming,'' wrote the Evening Standard.

''Certainly the amounts involved will seem incomprehensible to most men. But many women will have a sneaking sympathy.''

Reuters