Tony Blair is to make the Middle East peace process his priority when he meets George Bush at the White House on Thursday.

The prime minister will be the first foreign leader to meet Bush after his re-election last week.

Blair will spend Thursday evening and Friday morning with the president.

Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader, said yesterday that it was good for the prime minister to "get in there early", but he should not be seen as "a tarnished go-between", shuttling between Europe and the US.

"The pessimists say this means the neoconservatives are going to move in and take over the White House," Kennedy said.

"The optimists among us must hope that he seizes this big opportunity, not least where the Middle East is concerned, to try to break the deadlock."

Michael Howard has, meanwhile, continued his cool relations with the White House by refusing to congratulate the president on his victory last week.

He added it was "immaterial" whether he met with President Bush.