PRIME Minister Tony Blair will visit Gwent on his way to the British-Irish summit in Cardiff on Friday.

According to a senior Labour source, Mr Blair is set to launch his consultation on government policies in Newport.

And a massive security operation will swing into action to protect the PM from terrorist attack.

Security around Mr Blair has tightened following last week's bombings of British interests in Turkey.

While in Newport the PM is expected to meet local politicians and other groups to discuss the government's direction as part of a consultation on controversial policies.

According to another source, Tony Blair will also visit a school in the city before travelling to Cardiff.

Downing Street told the Argus that they are unable to discuss the prime minister's travel plans for security reasons. The secrecy surrounding the visit will also make organising an anti-war demonstration much more difficult.

Mr Blair is stopping off in Gwent on his way to a meeting of the British-Irish council at the Museum of Welsh Life, at St Fagans.

Hosted by First Minister Rhodri Morgan, it will be the fifth summit meeting of the institution set up as part of the Good Friday Agreement.

Torfaen MP and Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy is not expected to attend as he will be dealing with the aftermath of today's Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Aherne will, however, be at the summit, which could turn into crisis talks if anti-agreement parties do well in the Ulster poll.

There are concerns that Ian Paisley's hardline Democrat-ic Unionist Party could win the most seats with Sinn Fein replacing the SDLP as the largest nationalist party.

Such an outcome could spell disaster for the peace process - something that will be at the forefront of the leaders' minds on Friday.

If that happened it would overshadow the council's official theme of indigenous, minority and lesser- used languages on which Wales takes the lead role within the council. Senior members of all the other council administrations, Scotland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, will attend.