Welcome to Blairforce One

Tony Blair's round-the-world trip last week was reckoned to be a PR disaster. Political correspondent Nicholas Watt saw it in close-up

As the sun set on the rolling lawns of Seoul's presidential palace, South Korea's answer to Alastair Campbell was spitting blood. "Apology not accepted," he barked at ITV's mild-mannered political editor Nick Robinson, who was attempting to express sorrow for not asking President Roh Moo-hyun a question after tackling Tony Blair on the death of Dr David Kelly.

The anger of Seoul's chief spinner was an illustration of the perils facing the Westminster lobby when they accompany the prime minister abroad. Unlike the monthly free-for-all Downing Street press conferences, overseas events are strictly controlled. Lengthy discussions take place between the British media and officials from the host country to decide who will ask a question and on what topic. Robinson, a tough inquisitor, who had earlier asked the prime minister whether Dr Kelly's death was on his conscience, showed the spirit of free speech is alive when, in protest at the high-handed behaviour of South Korean officials, he declined to ask President Roh a supplementary question.

Downing Street's spinners, who would no doubt like to introduce some of the overseas guidelines when the prime minister faces his monthly press conference today, are nursing painful memories of the PR disaster of Blair's round-the-world tour. The prime minister is unlikely to forget the moment when Jonathan Oliver, the Mail on Sunday's energetic young political correspondent, popped up unannounced at the end of a Japanese press conference to ask him if he had "blood on his hands".

Oliver's moment of theatre, which startled the Japanese prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, showed that Campbell's "media strategy" for overseas trips counts for nothing if his boss is in trouble. Haunted by memories of John Major, who was plagued by domestic woes during his trips abroad, Campbell has enforced strict rules to protect Blair.

The prime minister travels at a lightning pace - he covered 19,000 miles in seven days on this trip - to prevent the media writing stories about him enjoying a jaunt while voters toil back home. Exploiting the strict rules governing overseas press conferences, a simple "line" is developed during a crisis as journalists will be allowed to ask only a handful of questions. To avoid the chance of an ambush, appearances by the prime minister in front of the travelling media are rationed. On every count the strategy failed this time - not because Campbell flew home after Washington, but because Blair is facing a genuine political crisis.

The media, led by the Daily Mail, accused the Blairs of being insensitive to the mood at home when Cherie was persuaded to sing in Beijing. The "line" dictated by Campbell in London to try to defuse the Kelly row did the opposite when Blair failed to rise to the gravity of the occasion with his initial call for the media to show "restraint and respect". Sensing that he had to do better, the prime minister broke Campbell's third rule when he swept through the curtain shielding the entrance to the first-class cabin of his chartered British Airways Boeing 777, moments before landing in Hong Kong, to declare that he had "emphatically" not ordered the leaking of Dr Kelly's name.

In a sign of the panic among Blair's officials, journalists were forced to cast aside their food trays after being given just a moment's notice of what would be their only "chat" with Blair. Standing by a red-faced Godric Smith, Blair's usually affable official spokesman who virtually disappeared after the "blood on your hands" moment, the prime minister appeared twitchy and irritable.

Managing editors (who sanction the spending on such trips) will wonder if it was worth the expense after Blair's minimal appearances on the plane. Journalists will have little difficulty in justifying the cost because the atmosphere in the plane provided a powerful illustration of the fear gripping Downing Street.

No one will forget the moment midway between Washington and Tokyo when the sleepy plane-load of journalists and bodyguards was woken with the news of Dr Kelly's death. A rushed briefing by Smith, minutes before landing at the end of a 15-hour flight, showed what may never have been apparent from a briefing back home: Blair knew he was facing a grave threat to his premiership.

· The Guardian paid £2,500 for an economy-class seat on the prime minister's plane. A business class seat cost £5,000.

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