UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife's recent trip to Bermuda has been dragged into the scandal currently surrounding the leading lawyer.

Last night, a tearful Cherie Blair choked back tears as she admitted she made "mistakes" after it emerged she used a convicted fraudster to help her in a $790,000 property deal.

The British press has pounced on categorical statements from Mr. Blair's office that Mrs Blair did not know Australian Peter Foster, who helped her to buy the properties, was a crook.

The truth that she did know about his background only emerged later in e-mails, which were deeply to embarrassing to the couple.

One newspaper referred to Mrs. Blair's trip to the Island in October for the Women in Public Life conference as proof of her liking for freebies.

The Independent newspaper stated - wrongly - that the Bermuda government paid the airfare of Mrs Blair, and her three children and mother.

The newspaper cited a declaration made by Mr. Blair in the House of Commons register of members' interests.

In his entry, however, Mr. Blair stated Bermuda paid for his wife's fare, but Mrs Blair picked up the rest of the tab.

While in Bermuda, the Blairs stayed at Government House for a week for the nominal fee of around $50 a night as guests of Governor Sir John Vereker.

Under the headline `High-earning lawyer with a love of the high life,' the paper stated: "Only two months ago, Cherie Blair was enjoying a half-term break with her mother and three children in Bermuda, a favoured resort of playboys and tax exiles.

"The family's air fares, worth up to ?3,000 each, were paid for by the Bermuda government and the Blair `family group' stayed in the comfortable official residence of the governor.

"The trip, revealed by Tony Blair in the register of members' interests, is a reminder of the sort of perks that come with being the Prime Minister's wife."

The newspaper cited a host of previous holidays, when the Blairs have enjoyed cut price accommodation.

In January, the Egyptian government subsidised a family holiday to Sharm- al-Sheikh and the pyramids of Giza, said the newspaper.

The Blairs have also been given holidays in a luxury chateau owned by a millionaire, and Italian vacations in the homes of Prince Girolamo Strozzi and British MP Geoffrey Robinson.

It reported that observers at this year's Labour conference were "mystified" as Mrs. Blair conducted a tour around stalls run by charities, companies and lobby groups "helping herself to handfuls of freebies".

"Flunkies stood by with bags to fill with mugs, pens, soft toys, CDs, stress balls, and holders for mobile phones, which she informed stall-holders were `for the kids'," the newspaper said.

The newspaper wonders why such a wealthy and successful lawyer would open herself up to potential criticism by accepting such freebies, noting that Mrs. Blair is not a mean person.

Mrs. Blair has also been in Bermuda as lawyer for businessman Harold Darrell in his race discrimination case against Bank of Bermuda.

See Overseas, Page 18