Cherie Booth, the wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has been slammed in the UK press over her recent business trip to Bermuda.

Under the headline “Cherie Booth, QC, Queen of Bermuda,” the London-based Mail on Sunday said although the top lawyer was on a private trip representing an Island businessman, she was feted as “a VIP and treated more like a royal visitor”.

The newspaper said while she was working in a private capacity as a lawyer, Premier Jennifer Smith laid on a “sumptuous feast and traditional island dance at a reception in her honour in the plantation-style official residence, Camden House, in the capital Hamilton.

“Beneath a setting sun, Bermuda Governor Sir John Vereker and the island's entire Cabinet waited to meet Mrs. Blair.”

The article continued: “The trip will reignite criticism that Mrs. Blair, already under fire for taking an overtly political role in hosting Downing Street think-tanks, is now fulfilling a quasi-official role as First Lady.”

The newspaper published photographs provided by Government Information Services of a smiling Mrs. Blair, with a tomahawk in her hand, accompanied by the Premier dancing with the Gombeys.

Mrs. Blair was on the Island last month to represent local businessman Harold Darrell, who is suing Bank of Bermuda for alleged breach of confidentiality, and taking his case to the Human Rights Commission.

She checked into the Fairmont Hamilton Princess under a false name, said the newspaper, and was driven around in an unmarked Police car by bodyguards provided by the Island's Emergency Response Team (ERT). It said the head of the ERT team, who accompanied Mrs. Blair, was armed.

The newspaper said senior Bermuda Government sources said Mrs. Blair was also travelling with a Scotland Yard protection officer from Special Branch in London. The paper quoted the Premier as saying: “I decided to hold the reception in Mrs. Blair's honour because she is the First Lady of the UK and I wanted to pay my respects. She thoroughly enjoyed herself.”

But Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons said in the article: “It was poor form for Mrs. Blair to be given an official reception. I presume she wanted it.”

Tony Blair's office, 10 Downing Street, said Mrs. Blair didn't make any specific security requests for the trip and said decisions were made by the Metropolitan Police.

The Met would not comment, but a Met source said: “Bermuda has close links with the UK and many of their police are trained here.

“But the Prime Minister and his wife have protection at home and it may be that Cherie asked that one of her regular officers accompanied her. As to who picks up the bill for his flights and accommodation, the answer is us (Metropolitan Police).”