Prime Minister's wife praised by Cherie Blair

May 11 2008 By Norman Silvester

CHERIE BLAIR praised Gordon Brown's wife Sarah - but couldn't resist sticking the knife in a bit.

Hailing Sarah for handling the daily pressure of life at No 10, Tony Blair's QC wife announced: "I think she is doing brilliantly.

But she couldn't help adding: "I wish I could have managed to avoid the spotlight as she has done.

"I hope she doesn't have to enter it and face the criticism I did."

Former PR woman Sarah has mostly kept out of the media glare since moving into No 10 - unlike Cherie.

Touting her tell-all book Speaking For Myself yesterday, Cherie denied claims that she didn't get on with Sarah - before admitting they hadn't spoken for years.

She said: "To be honest, the extraordinary thing is we didn't really socialise.

"She only married Gordon at a time when we were already in Number 10 and there isn't much time for us to see our old friends or even our new ones.

"So they did their thing and we did our thing.

"I didn't specifically give her any advice. We left her some things - champagne and presents for the Brown children - and exchanged some letters."

Cherie admitted there had been a problem between her and Gordon Brown but insisted it "was nothing personal".

She said: "It is because I thought my husband was the best person for the job and it is a damn difficult job.

"As far as Gordon's impatience about Tony moving on, I thought it was a difficulty Tony could do without.

"So I was just terribly partisan for Tony and I am sure Sarah is partisan for Gordon - and so she should be."

Cherie said her husband was now giving the new PM advice on winning the next election.

But she couldn't resist one last thinlyveiled pop at the former Chancellor, alluding to rumours of his "dark moods".

She said: "The good thing is Gordon is not alone in Number 10. He has Sarah and the children, so even in his darkest moments he knows there is something important outside politics for him."

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