Blair's Son Reprimanded

British police reprimanded Prime Minister Tony Blair's son Euan Friday after the teenager was found lying drunk and vomiting in a central London square. It was lenient discipline; he could have been formally charged or received a final warning.

A spokesman for Blair's Downing Street residence said the prime minister and his wife, Cherie, took 16-year-old Euan to a police station in south London Friday .

Euan, who at 16 is not legally allowed to drink in public bars, went out partying Wednesday night with friends to celebrate the end of his school exams.

But the night ended in disaster, with him being escorted home by police after a drinking binge which ended on the paving stones of London's Leicester Square.

The prime minister's spokesman expressed Euan's regrets, saying: "Euan is very sorry for the inconvenience he has caused the police, the state he was in and for the false statement that he made." He originally gave a false name and an old address.

Euan's timing could not have been worse.

Blair has spent the past few weeks attacking a "yob culture" in Britain and suggesting drunken louts should be forced to pay on-the-spot fines for disturbing the public.

Euan's behavior Wednesday night was a good example of what Blair wants to stamp out.

The Downing street spokesman said Euan and his parents spent 30 minutes at the police station Friday and a police inspector spoke to Euan.

"He was reprimanded for being drunk and incapable on Wednesday evening," the spokesman said.

"As was made clear this morning, the prime minister and Mrs. Blair regarded this visit to see the police as a private matter," he added.

Blair said Thursday he thought being prime minister was a tough job but that being a parent was tougher. He said he did not want any special treatment for his son, but insisted he was not a troublemaker.

"It's not been the greatest day, let's put it like that," Blair told BBC television Thursday. "But my son is basically a good kid and we will get through this."