Hospital check for Cherie

The Blairs are expecting their fourth child

Cherie Blair and her husband Tony have made a brief visit to a London hospital.

The couple, whose fourth child is due on 24 May, left Downing Street at 2130 BST and were admitted to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in Fulham.

They left an hour later - avoiding a crowd of reporters and photographers - and returned to Number 10 just before 2300 BST.

The prime minister's official spokesman said Mrs Blair, 45, had gone to the hospital because she was experiencing "some discomfort".

Working couple

In the past few days, the Blairs have been publicly relaxed about the birth.

On Tuesday, Mrs Blair - a barrister known professionally as Cherie Booth QC - was at work in the High Court, challenging her husband's government over parental leave.

She was representing the TUC, which has accused the government of breaching European regulations by limiting the 13 weeks' statutory leave to parents whose child h born since 15 December 1999.

A brother or sister for Kathryn, 12, Euan,16, and Nicky, 15.

When the judges reserved judgment until next week, she said: "I hope your lordships will excuse me if I am not available."

"We certainly will, yes," replied Lord Bingham.

Later that evening, Mr Blair light-heartedly told a London business dinner that other world leaders were taking a keen interest in the forthcoming addition to his family.

He told 1,500 diners at the Confederation of British Industry annual dinner that it was difficult to get fellow heads of government to talk about anything other than the baby.

The prime minister has said he will not be taking parental leave when the baby is born but intends to scale back his official workload.