Charm won games for London

British Prime Minister Tony Blair used the personal charm for which he is renowned to try to win over around 50 Olympic delegates before yesterday's crucial vote.

The Prime Minister's brand of one-to-one sofa diplomacy is admired even by his political enemies, and was used to the full in a string of 20-minute meetings with IOC delegates.

Yesterday he said he still planned to step down as Prime Minister before 2010 despite the British Olympic victory which will seal his legacy.

He said he was so thrilled by the result he had "punched the air", when he heard the news, danced a jig and hugged Jonathan Powell, his chief of staff.

Asked whether he still intended to stand down, Mr Blair told Sky News there would be "no change of plans".

He had been trying to discuss the G8 negotiations in a room at the Gleneagles Hotel with his senior officials as the decision approached.

"The boss decided fairly early he was not going to watch it (on TV)," said one senior official.

"We sat and watched it, and he went for a walk around the grounds," When the mobile phone rang at about 12.47pm, Mr Powell handed it to Mr Blair, saying: "I think this will be the news we didn't want to hear."

But the switchboard operator told Mr Blair: "We've won!"

"We all ran down and greeted the Prime Minister," said a senior official. "It was a very special moment. He was reasonably calm but I haven't seen a smile as wide as that for a very long time."

Mr Blair has repeatedly beaten home the message of his personal backing for London's Olympic bid and the Government's support over the past two years, helping overcome Britain's reputation for major sporting bungles such as the Wembley saga and the Pickett's Lock stadium fiasco.

He reinforced the symbolic message by devoting two days from his crucial G8 summit week to the last-minute diplomatic push in Singapore.

Mr Blair's wife, Cherie, has also taken a leading role in the bid, working as an ambassador for London alongside figures such as Sir Elton John and Sir Mick Jagger.

Mrs Blair has won plaudits from inside the bid team for her work, and joined the Singapore charm offensive, lobbying IOC members with her husband in the final hours before yesterday's vote.

Mr Blair was criticised for delaying the government's support for the London bid before the Cabinet swung behind the capital's Olympic ambitions in 2003.

But he swung squarely behind the bid, insisting that the Government would back the attempt to stage the games "to the hilt".

- INDEPENDENT