Blunkett faces claim he fast-tracked visa for ex-lover's nanny

David Blunkett

LONDON - British Home Secretary David Blunkett is facing fresh
questions over claims that he fast-tracked a visa application for his
ex-lover's former nanny.

A
Home Office letter sent to Leoncia Casalme, the former nanny of
Kimberly Quinn, said it could take up to 12 months to process her visa.


Nineteen days later, she was granted leave to stay indefinitely in Britain.

The
revelation will increase the pressure on Blunkett, who has spent the
past few days fighting a series of allegations arising from his affair
with Quinn, the married publisher of Spectator magazine.

On Monday, the Home Office set up an inquiry into the claims, to be undertaken by Sir Alan Budd.

The
Conservative Party's shadow Home Secretary, David Davis, said Blunkett
would have to resign if it was proved that he had influenced the
application.

 

"Mr Blunkett will have to explain
precisely how this rapid processing of the application came about. If
he influenced this matter, his position is untenable."

Blunkett's
spokesman insisted that the letter, published in the Daily Mail, was
routine and repeated that the Home Secretary had done nothing wrong.

He said: "David did not interfere with or fast-track this application. He has done absolutely nothing wrong."

The spokesman said Blunkett checked the form when Casalme made her visa application.

But he had not intervened to get it approved.

It was not unusual for applications to receive a standard letter warning of potential delays, the spokesman said.

Earlier,
Blunkett gave an apology and said he would pay for the first-class rail
ticket he gave Quinn under a scheme intended for MPs' spouses and
partners.

His move came as he faced an inquiry by the
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Sir Philip Mawer, into the
issuing of travel warrants.

Blunkett denied that he had acted
to forestall any investigation by Sir Philip, who received two
complaints from members of the public.

But hours later, the Home Secretary's spokesman said he would repay the cost of the return trip to Doncaster.

The voucher for a ticket to Doncaster was worth £180 ($483).

The
spokesman said: "Having examined the detailed rules today, he realises
he has made a genuine mistake and will be repaying the cost of the
ticket to the parliamentary authorities, and he apologises for his
mistake."

Blunkett had previously said he thought he was
within the rules to give the ticket because Quinn, whom he believed was
carrying his child, counted as his partner under the scheme.

The spokesman added: "He has checked the rules today and realised he was under a misapprehension."

Ministers
reacted furiously yesterday after Sir Alistair Graham, the chairman of
the Committee on Standards in Public Life, spoke out against the "ad
hoc" way in which the Home Office had been allowed to start the Budd
inquiry into its own political master and choose the person to head it.


Sir Alistair warned that the inquiry could be tainted because
Blunkett had asked his own top civil servant, John Gieve, to set it up.


Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said the code of
conduct for ministers would be reviewed after the next general election
as a result of the scandal that has engulfed Blunkett.

- INDEPENDENT