Blair's Man in Italy

The Independent today reports bad news for Berlusconi:

"Italy's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, suffered a serious blow yesterday after a newspaper reported he was being investigated by Milan magistrates on suspicion of bribing his British lawyer, David Mills, to give false evidence in his favour.

Mr Berlusconi is alleged to have ordered a payment in 1997 to Mr Mills, the husband of Tessa Jowell, Britain's Minister for Culture, in return for giving false testimony in two trials, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported.

Mr Mills has denied any wrongdoing. His Italian lawyer, Federico Cecconi, confirmed that prosecutors were investigating both men on charges of corruption and providing false testimony. The magistrates invited Mr Berlusconi and his lawyer to Milan to be cross-examined about the allegations this month but neither appeared in court, sources said. "We reserve the right to reject these accusations at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way," Mr Cecconi said.