Leading Article: A cheer for Provence

SURELY ANYONE who has a heart would be forgiven a little romantic musing on the splendid surprise the Prime Minister and his wife have sprung on a delighted nation, and, it rather seems, themselves. But it's not easy. At first, it was claimed that the Blair Titch Project (thank you, Daily Star) had its beginnings last summer in Tuscany. Tuscany! Who would not be inspired by the light and landscape that inspired the masters of the quattrocento, whether you were staying at the 50-room villa loaned by the regional president, or the 50-room mansion loaned by Prince Girolamo Giuccardani Strozzi! And that scent of vine and olive on the soft, warm breeze of the crepuscolo, almost an aria in itself! Even the most ardent Eurosceptic must concede that Britain would be pushed to match this magic, even at a Center Parc.

But wait: yesterday afternoon Mr Blair's spokesman officially denied Tuscany! Hope then rose against hope, giddily, for Britain, for Bournemouth, and the Party Conference; before being cruelly dashed in favour of Provence, the Dorset of the South of France, the equally balmy other part of the Blair hol.

Thank goodness that's sorted out. And perhaps we should also point out that there is absolutely no truth in the rumour that, if it's a boy, they're going to call him Ken.