What the papers say

Journalist Grania McFadden takes a look at what is making the headlines in Wednesday's morning newspapers.

The Independent sums up the story of the day - "Cherie states the case for the defence."

Cherie Blair's tearful apology over her dealings with Peter Foster comes under scrutiny in all the papers.

Were (Cherie Blair's) tears a sign of real remorse or more spin to save her skin?

Daily Mirror

Mrs Blair gains sympathy for her declaration "I am not Superwoman", and for admitting she made mistakes in dealing with a convicted conman.

The Independent describes her as "emotional yet defiant", while the Mail describes her performance as "an electrifying piece of political theatre".

The Guardian says she may even have turned a "sorry episode into something akin to a personal and political triumph".

'Real remorse'

But the Daily Telegraph is less impressed. It describes Mrs Blair as "part Princess Diana, part accomplished barrister, part wounded mother and part Clinton hair-splitter, combining the skills of Tony Blair and Tony Booth".

The Mirror wonders whether her tears were signs of real remorse, or "more spin to save her skin".

It offers readers the chance to vote on whether they believe her story.

And the Mail is one of several papers which believe Mrs Blair still has questions to answer about the affair.

The News Letter also previews today's budget, which it says heralds a dramatic cash injection to address underfunding in Northern Ireland's public services.

It's being heralded as 'the most momentous budget in a generation", says the paper, with millions of pounds being borrowed from the Treasury to pay for upgrades in the health service, schools, water and roads services.

The Irish News leads with what it calls an "unprecendented apology" from the PSNI, which wrongly claimed that hundreds of nationalists had attacked Lurgan police station last year.

Written apology

The paper says following Armagh's victory in the GAA all-Ireland final in September, fans spilled out from the pubs in Lurgan.

Police claimed a crowd of several hundred had attacked the station, ripping down security cameras.

But in a written apology to a Sinn Fein councillor, officers have now conceded that the correct figure was actually nine or ten people.

The News Letter's editorial examines plans to form a closer link between Ulster Unionists and the Conservative Party.

It says that although David Trimble seems to favour a closer alliance, the idea has little merit.

And it quotes one unionist assembly member who said forging a link between the parties would be like "trying to hitch a ride on the Titanic".

Several papers report how a man delivered his baby son during a traffic jam as he drove to hospital, and then saved the child's life using a technique he'd seen on the BBC drama Casualty.

Van's drive

The Telegraph says when Paul Cleaver realised the baby wasn't breathing because the umbilical cord was wrapped around its neck, he remembered what he'd seen on casualty, and was able to clear his son's airways.

The Irish Independent reports that singer Van Morrison has lost a bid to widen a communal driveway to his luxury home in Dalkey, Dublin.

Morrison was sued by neighbours who objected to his plans, and now he's been landed with a legal bill which could top 250,000 euro.

He's also been ordered to replace a 20 foot high hedge which was torn down during building work.