Accusations of Cherie's 'cashing in' may lead to inquiry

Accusations that Cherie Blair has been "cashing in" on her husband's position are likely to lead to an inquiry into the conduct of the spouses of government ministers.

Sir Alistair Graham, chairman of the parliamentary committee on standards in public life, announced on Wednesday that he favoured reviewing the ministerial code of conduct after Conservative complaints against Cherie.

Chris Grayling, shadow leader of the House of Commons, had accused Cherie of exploiting her position by accepting payment for speaking about her role as the Prime Minister's wife.

In June, she earned a reported £20,000 for a lecture in Washington that coincided with Cherie's meeting with President George W. Bush.

More than 1,000 people paid £50 a head for what was billed as a "conversation with the wife of Tony Blair" in which she talked about her triple life as a mother, lawyer and prime ministerial consort.

Last month, she pulled out of opening a shopping mall in Malaysia after adverse publicity over such lucrative engagements and her liking for "freebies".

According to Whitehall officials, Cherie had been asked by the Cabinet Office to suspend her commercial activities while the rules were "clarified".

Some Labour MPs and ministers made clear privately that they feared she was embarrassing Blair and damaging Labour's image.

Grayling wrote to seek a review of the issue of ministers' spouses making money in ways linked to their partner's roles.

The standards watchdog indicated that a general review of the ministerial code, and its application to spouses, was now highly likely.