Baby Blair Takes up Residence at 10 Downing Street
GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife are celebrating the birth of a son, a 12-pound, six-ounce baby boy named Leo born last night. Here is Nic Robertson in London.</s>NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a boy. Awaited by parents and nation alike, Leo Blair arrived overnight, becoming the fourth child for the prime ministerial couple. His birth, long and tiring for his mother, according to his emotional dad.</s>TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER OF ENGLAND: It was quite a long labor in the end, because it went on for quite a few hours. And, you know, it is quite a struggle in the end for Cherie, and I think she's just relieved that it's all -- she's relieved it's over.</s>ROBERTSON: A healthy six pounds and 12 ounces, he will be the first baby at 10 Downing Street in 150 years. The happy event also a political blessing.</s>GERVASE WEBB, "EVENING STANDARD" NEWSPAPER: It's come at a very good time for him. The polls are not looking good. He's just had a bit of a thrashing in the local elections.</s>ROBERTSON: In fact, the youngest Blair has been causing quite a stir for months. Dad has been unsure he can take time off work to be with mum, but mum, better known by her professional name, Cherie Booth, queen's counsel, which roughly translated means top-notch lawyer, has been battling her husband's government in the courtroom to give fathers just that right.</s>WEBB: Just before the baby was due to be born, she spent three hours on her feet in court arguing for the rights of workers. She has said that she thinks fathers should take paternity leave. He has said, well, it's a nice idea, but not for him.</s>ROBERTSON: On this night, however, dad put paternal duties first, staying at his 45-year-old wife's bedside for the delivery, before taking mother and child home to join their other three children. (on camera): The Blairs have always guarded their privacy, and the arrival of Leo will likely prove no exception. However, the delivery of baby Blair into the hands of dad's spin doctors will likely provide them their own bundle of joy. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.</s>RANDALL: We didn't mean to scare the Blairs when we said 12 pounds, six ounces. We had the numbers wrong.