Prime ministerial news conference

Prime ministerial news conference

David Blunkett may think the press are at the 'edge of insanity,' but Mr Blair spent quite a lot of time with them - looked his tormentors in the eye - and let them ask him everything that was on their minds.

The occasion was a new-fangled Prime Ministerial press conference. The assembled company were the Westminster pack - and if this was a Blair relaunch it does at least seem to have survived the day without unravelling.

Our political editor Martha Kearney reported

Watch Martha Keraney's report

MARTHA KEARNEY:
It's hard to imagine Washington journalists turning up to the White House quite like this, but today was the British media's chance to question the Prime Minister, American style. With an opinion poll out today finding that less than half the people they asked thought the Prime Minister was personally honest, it wasn't surprising that he was questioned about public cynicism.

TONY BLAIR:
The polls come and go. In the end, what matters is getting the job done. People in the country will judge any government by what actually happens. The most important thing for us is to do the things that people know need putting right in the country. The best answer to issues of trust or people's concern about politics in the political process is to make sure politics make a difference.

KEARNEY:
Given the levels of public cynicism, in the spirit of David Blunkett, are there any mistakes you would like to own up to?

TONY BLAIR:
I'm there are lots. But I take the view that they're for me to know and for you guys to find out. You seem adept at that! I don't know. I suppose it's bound to happen. I mean , you know, media and the politicians go through this from time to time together. There is a Westminster Village about this. But I believe that when you, once you have gone through whatever scratchiness arises from time to time, you have your job to do and I have mine.

KEARNEY:
That scratchiness has got a lot worse recently with a wave of press hostility.

MOCK COMMENTATOR:
PM is accused of muscling in on a royal funeral.

JEREMY PAXMAN:
Posh wives, skinny and wriggly. Do you know what these magazines are like.

MOCK COMMENTATOR:
The First Lady apologises for her gaff and David Blunkett says the press core have lost it.

DAVID BLUNKETT:
We are almost at the edge of insanity.

KEARNEY:
The team is worried about their overall effect on the Government's reputation.

FAZ HAKIM:
I think there will have been concern about the fact that you can't get news about what the Government's doing, about policy out through the media. There is a soap opera attitude surrounding what is happening in Government. There is who said what, who will resign today instead of how is the Government dealing with the problems of the country.

KEARNEY:
Do you think inside Downing Street people are worried about this?

HAKIM:
They are worried. You wouldn't have had the Prime Minister doing his press conference today if there hadn't been.

KEARNEY:
Why have the press gone on the attack?

POLLY TOYNBEE:
We're approaching a Euro referendum, possibly, and that's what they care about it. So, although it is not what they talk about, the reason they wish to discredit Tony Blair and his Government thoroughly and totally is so that he doesn't have a referendum in the face of hostility or, if he does, people won't believe what he says on it.

KEARNEY:
Just one view, but today the Prime Minister did probably answer more questions on the euro than anything else.

BLAIR:
The reasons why we are in principle in favour of joining the euro are because if the euro is successful, and if it is in our economic interests to join, it will be good for British industry, jobs and investment.

KEARNEY:
Some believe he should be talking about issues like the euro to MPs, not just journalists.

GRAHAM ALLEN:
There is no question that in the long run the Prime Ministership is turning into a presidency. The sooner we're honest about that the better. Today was another step along that way. I would like to see them being honest about that. That way we would allow our parliament to breathe then instead of being an eight-stone weakling at the party. Parliament could start to take on a real role holding the executive, the presidency, whatever you want to call it, to account.

KEARNEY:
Tony Blair feels himself vulnerable to that accusation of being too presidential, trying to upstage the Royal Family and didn't like being asked about the monarchy today.

REPORTER:
I was surprised to see my taxes are going to supporting the Queen's cousins who live in the Palaces for nothing. Why is it fair that working people should subsidise a lavish lifestyle for these folks because they were born in the Queen's family.

BLAIR:
Right, now you're an American, aren't you Tom? I think I'm going to beat a diplomatic silence.

KEARNEY:
What was the press verdict on his performance?

GEOFF MCALLISTER:
A cute moment when someone brought him a cup of tea in the middle of it, it would never happen at a White House press conference.

KEARNEY:
Just an example of spin?

MCALLISTER:
Well, if they're that good, they deserve it.

QUENTIN LETTS:
He decided to hold them to make him look good. I feel like a creme broulee, coated in sugar and cooked slowly, God, it was hot in there. And he was very smooth, Mr Charming. But I don't know whether it told us much.

CATHERINE MCLEOD:
I think the Prime Minister, didn't look like a man who was in a flat spin over the spin.

KEARNEY:
So we have seen the latest battle in the war against spin, a huge liability for the government. There is no doubt that the Prime Minister did do well. I think it could have been rather different if this had happened in the middle of a big breaking political story, like Stephen Byers, when the press gets into a kind of feeding frenzy. Life would have been a great deal more difficult for the Prime Minister.

MOCK COMMENTATOR:
Coming up next: he escaped today, but will the PM be on the run tomorrow.

This transcript was produced from the teletext subtitles that are generated live for Newsnight. It has been checked against the programme as broadcast, however Newsnight can accept no responsibility for any factual inaccuracies. We will be happy to correct serious errors.