The convicted conman at the centre of the row over Cherie Blair's purchase of two Bristol flats will not resist attempts to deport him from the UK.

Solicitors for Peter Foster said that he would drop his appeal in front of the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.

Mr Foster is currently in Ireland, where he will be staying in the short-term.

He will only be allowed to return to the UK for a maximum of two weeks at a time.

His publicist says he will be dividing his time between Ireland and Spain, while he writes his autobiography.

Misjudgement

Mrs Blair became embroiled in a highly damaging political row after it emerged that Mr Foster had helped her buy two flats in Bristol, where her eldest son Euan is at university.

The prime minister's wife was forced into a public apology for her misjudgement in getting involved with Mr Foster, who was in a relationship with her personal trainer Carole Caplin.

After the row had rumbled on for days Mrs Blair tearfully admitted that she had made mistakes.

But she insisted she had no idea Mr Foster had ever been to prison and would never want to do anything to harm her husband, her children or the Labour government.

The matter quietened down over Parliament's Christmas recess but an autobiography by Mr Foster may well reignite the controversy.

Conservative shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin has tabled further questions about how Mr Foster's case was handled, and whether Number 10 attempted to speed up his removal.

Downing Street has consistently denied any interference in the case, a stance backed by the Home Office.