Today’s Guardian brings us up to date on the Blairs’ property portfolio…

Tony and Cherie Blair have bought another house in London near the property they will move into when they leave Downing Street, it was reported last night.

Number 10 refused to comment on the claims that the Blairs have exchanged contracts on an £800,000 house behind the Bayswater property they bought in 2004. The Daily Mail said they planned to knock through the walls to join the buildings together and create extra space.

The Guardian reckons that this will bring the First Couple’s mortgage payments to nigh on £20,000 a month. But do not panic — the piece goes on to predict that Tony will earn £20 million a year when he leaves office.

Gosh! I had no idea that lecturing to right-wing Republicans could be so lucrative. If it isn’t, there are always directorships of Halliburton, Bechtel and aerospace companies to be considered. Wonder who his agent is.