Westminster braced for Budd report
Parliamentarians, civil servants and political journalists are all braced for Sir Alan Budd’s report into the conduct of David Blunkett.
The Budd Report is due to be published tomorrow, after Sir Alan was asked to investigate claims that the former Home Secretary fast-tracked a visa application for his former lover’s nanny.
Mr Blunkett decided to resign last week after an email was discovered from an official in his office to the immigration services which asked for “no favours but a bit quicker” treatment of the residency application.
However, the fallout from Mr Blunkett’s affair with Spectator publisher Kimberley Quinn is not over yet for the Government.
There is the distinct possibility that officials within the Home Office may also be criticised for their actions. The Conservative Shadow Home Secretary has written repeatedly to Sir Alan asking for the inquiry to be widened into the actions of others within the department, not just Mr Blunkett.
After claims appeared in the Daily Mail that a key fax had been shredded, and other key emails deleted, David Davis dispatched a letter calling for the names of any individuals “who carried out any destruction or deletion of data and the names of those who gave out any instruction to do so” to be published.
In addition, ‘friends’ of Mr Blunkett’s reportedly told the Sunday papers that he feared Sir Alan had be “mesmerised” by Mrs Quinn into believing her account of events. The Labour Party swiftly moved to deny these suggestions, issuing a statement on behalf of Mr Blunkett saying that he as the “highest regard” for Sir Alan, and accepts he is “completely independent.”
Mr Blunkett’s future political career could hang on the outcome of the inquiry. If cleared of the most serious charge that he deliberately sought to speed up the application – something he has always denied – then he may well be able to play a key campaigning role in the run up to the next general election. From a successful campaign, a new cabinet seat could beckon. If held accountable, then he is likely to remain on the backbenches for a long time.
