Airstrip One

Some questions that won't be asked about Cherie Blair

Apologies for the domestic politics intrusion. If you think that the present furore about Cherie Blair's property buying habits is the sign of a new robustness from the media, think again. Here's a couple of questions that won't be asked in the media:

1) When Cherie Blair was a struggling, and by many accounts mediocre, barrister why did the majority of legal work from Hackney Borough Council flow her way after her sister, Lauren, was employed in the legal department? And how did Lauren, who has no legal qualifications, get the job in the first place. Was it connected to Tony and Cherie's active membership in the Hackney Labour party?

2) Is there any truth to the rumours that a black list is maintained of judges who have given what Mrs Blair regards as a rough ride, and that promotion is impeded for these judges? Have there been any judges with whom she has clashed recently and have any of them been promoted?

3) Was young Leo Blair conceived using IVF and was this electorally helpful "surprise" done privately or on the NHS? Were they hypocrites or was this just an early example of state funding of political parties?

4) When Mrs Blair had Leo "on the NHS", did she pay the going rate to use the private rooms within the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, or at least compensate the Hospital for the income foregone. Did she also pay anything towards the two to three months in which the rooms were held in reserve?

Now if these questions were being asked about Betsy Duncan Smith we'd soon see the BBC reporting on them.