While acknowledging that missile defence was “a very sensitive issue”, he said: “My own judgement is that provided we handle it with care, there is a way through which meets America’s objectives and other people’s concerns.”European leaders and the public in France and Germany have strongly criticised the missile defence project, regarding it as both an expensive and unreliable mode of defence, and, at worst, as a device that will protect the US at the expense of its allies and precipitate a new arms race.Mr Bush’s stated priority in all his meetings, at home and abroad, is to establish cordial personal relations as a basis for political dealings, and this is what the 24-hour sojourn at Camp David is about. As pragmatists, both leaders are likely to consign memories of the Blair-Clinton entente to the past. British sources have already noted that Mr Blair resembles Mr Bush in being a “single-side A-4″ man and “no policy wonk” – though this may surprise some, who remember the Blairs happily “wonking” away with the Clintons at “Third Way” seminars, where the two first couples were seen as transatlantic soulmates.. Robin Cook has protested to Tony Blair at being kept out of the ministerial loop on the fate of Labour’s commitment to reform of the voting system. Robin Cook has protested to Tony Blair at being kept out of the ministerial loop on the fate of Labour’s commitment to reform of the voting system.
The Foreign Secretary was seemingly so out of touch with the efforts of No 10 to kill the pledge on proportional representation, that he approached senior opposition sources to find out what they knew.As the strongest supporter of PR in the Cabinet, after the resignation of Peter Mandelson, Mr Cook’s anxieties were raised by a report in the Independent on Sunday that No 10 had dropped all reference to PR from the manifesto. Mr Cook last week appealed to the Prime Minister for its restoration. He was assured it had not been killed off, and that a final decision would be taken in the next fortnight.This leaves the way open for a last-ditch fight for PR.

However, there are few supporters of the system high up in government prepared to put their careers on the line over the issue. One senior minister close to Mr Blair said it would be “risible” for Labour to go into the election pledging a referendum on PR, as it did at the last election.Opponents of PR, including the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, and Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, have been strengthened by the prospect of Mr Blair winning a second term with another big working Labour majority, making power- sharing with the Liberal Democrats an irrelevance.An adviser to Mr Blair said: “We don’t need the Liberals to stay in power. We could have a majority for the next 20 years at this rate.”The Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, last week also pressed Mr Blair for a PR referendum in the manifesto, but left empty-handed. In a further sign that relations between the Government and the Lib Dems are hardening for the election fight, the Lib Dems last week pulled out of talks on the future of the House of Lords.. The Lord Chancellor has written to lawyers asking them to donate to the Labour Party. The Lord Chancellor has written to lawyers asking them to donate to the Labour Party.
Lord Irvine sent a letter to hundreds of solicitors and barristers, both party members and sympathisers, asking them to pledge money in return for a dinner at the Atlantic Bar and Grill in London.Senior lawyers and opposition parties said that by personally making the plea, he had abused his unique position as Lord Chancellor. Lord Irvine is both head of the judiciary and the judicial appointments system and has unequalled powers of patronage among lawyers.The invitation made it clear that Cherie Blair and a number of senior Labour ministers, including the Attorney General, Lord Williams of Mostyn, would also be guests.

The letter read: “It gives me great pleasure in inviting you to the Labour Party’s fund raising event for the legal profession…” and was personally signed Derry Irvine.One barrister and Labour Party member, who did not wish to be named, said: “I was embarrassed to receive the letter. I support a lot of what Lord Irvine has done but on this occasion he has got it wrong. I was being encouraged to pledge money by the head of the judiciary.”Two other Labour supporters told the IoS that they felt distinctly uncomfortable at receiving the letter and believed Lord Irvine should not get involved in fundraising. .John Redwood, chairman of the Tories’ parliamentary campaigns unit, said last night: “There are too many stories of cronyism and arm-twisting for money in this government and the last thing we want is the chief law officer involved.”Edward Garnier, the shadow attorney general, said: “The Lord Chancellor… has the responsibility of recommending to the Queen those lawyers who become High Court judges and Queen’s Counsel.

It’s not a big leap for them to think if they don’t respond their prospects might be upset.”The dinner, held 10 days ago at the art deco-style Atlantic – one of London’s trendiest venues in the late 90s – was attended by around 250 lawyers. Sources said it raised at last £50,000 for the Labour Party.Anthony Scrivener QC, a former chairman of the Bar, said he believed it was the first time a Lord Chancellor had solicited funds this way. “I think the Lord Chancellor should keep out of politics, that’s been the tradition.”A spokesman for the Labour Party last night said the invitation was a standard fund-raising letter, written on party headed notepaper and not Government stationery “It was cleared by his private office and the civil service. I don’t think there’s any question of patronage,” he said.He added: “There’s nothing wrong with soliciting money from supporters of the Labour Party.