Cherie defies critics by using No 10 for meetings

Cherie Booth QC is continuing to hold client meetings at 10 Downing Street nearly two years after she was first criticised for using Government premises for her practice.
Booth, now at Matrix Chambers, was slammed for seeing clients at Number 10 when working on the BCCI case in 2000 while at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square. She was then criticised by the Criminal Law Solicitors Association and several Tory MPs for using Number 10 as an extension of her chambers on that one occasion. One female solicitor said that Booth has since used the official residence on multiple occasions. She also revealed how popular meetings in the official residence are with clients.
The use of Government property for business meetings has been controversial for other public figures. Last year, former Foreign Office minister Keith Vaz held a meeting at the Foreign Office to help an Asian restaurateur with an insurance claim. While the Foreign Office said Vaz had not violated any ministerial codes, it also said that Government property should "generally be used for constituency or party matters".
But Matrix seems to regard Number 10 as Booth's home rather than just as Government property. A Matrix spokesperson said: "It's common for barristers to have consultations at home. She [Booth], like any other barrister, will sometimes want to have meetings at home, but very rarely."
A Downing Street spokesperson would not comment on the matter.