Blair's Last-ditch Lobby of Olympic Judges

Tony Blair will personally lobby key members of the International Olympic Committee just before they select the 2012 Olympics host city.

The Prime Minister plans to meet a selection of IOC figures in Singapore privately before the 2012 vote on 6 July, in particular some of the estimated 25 members who are still wavering over favourites Paris, Madrid or the capital.

Blair will spend two days in Singapore, then fly back for the G8 summit in Gleneagles, which starts the same day that the IOC's 117 members make their decision. IOC insiders say Blair's involvement is one of London's greatest strengths and could help swing the closest-ever Olympic race its way.

'What will influence IOC members in the final days before 6 July is the personal canvass of them by bid cities and their biggest hitters,' said one overseas IOC member. 'Blair is very good for London because he's very good at one-to-one personal contacts.'

The Prime Minister is likely to spend time in discussions with powerbrokers such as Mario Pescanti, head of the European Olympic Committee who is influential among the IOC's 42 Western European members. President Jacques Chirac of France, King Juan Carlos of Spain, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, and possibly Russian president Vladimir Putin all intend to join Blair in Singapore in the final scramble for votes.

Senior figures in the London campaign will this week make their last presentation before Singapore at a meeting of the African Olympic Committee in Accra, Ghana.