Cherie Blair last night blamed the controversy over her lucrative American speaking engagement on her husband, saying the Prime Minister's decision to meet President Bush in Washington today was his bad timing, not hers.

Speaking before an audience in Washington, Mrs Blair responded to accusations that she was using her husband's White House visit today to promote her own personal appearance in the United States's capital, an event for which she was reportedly paid up to £30,000.

Mrs Blair, who also repeatedly plugged her recent book on Downing Street spouses, The Goldfish Bowl, said her appearance had been scheduled nine months ago.

"It has crossed my mind, with all the 365 days on which Tony could have come to America, that today was not the best one for him to choose," Mrs Blair told an audience of about 2,000 in Washington's Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Each spectator had paid between $65 and $95 for a ticket.

The Conservatives are demanding a review of rules for Ministers' spouses by the Committee of Standards in Public Life, after it emerged that Mrs Blair would be personally profiting from what Downing Street insists is a "private" visit to Washington at precisely the same time the Prime Minister is in the White House on official business.

The controversy intensified yesterday after it emerged that tonight Mrs Blair is to have dinner at the White House as a guest of Laura Bush, the First Lady, while their husbands dine simultaneously in a room close by. Mrs Blair is also spending two nights at the British embassy in Washington.

Mrs Blair, interviewed for more than an hour by the CNN presenter Paula Zahn, mentioned her book no less than six times, and was introduced in effusive terms to her largely American audience by Hillary Clinton, and Sir David Manning, the British ambassador.

"She is an extraordinary intellect, as well as a profoundly kind and caring person," Mrs Clinton, a former First Lady and now a New York senator said.

"She has an astounding mind, open heart, and razor sharp wit."

Ms Zahn asked Mrs Blair, in view of her professional life as a QC and personal role as wife of the Prime Minister, whether she should call her Cherie Booth, or Cherie Blair?

"I think the best thing is, just call me Cherie," Mrs Blair said.

During an evening sponsored by, among others, Bank of America, United Airlines and the Las Vegas Convention Visitor's Bureau, Mrs Blair was asked about her faith, the Iraq war, and her husband's recent re-election. She said she would like to travel to Iraq, especially to meet Iraqi women.

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