Budd report leaves Blunkett question hanging
The report into former Home Secretary David Blunkett’s handling of a visa for his lover’s nanny has failed to reach a firm conclusion on his involvement in the affair.
Sir Alan Budd, charged by Mr Blunkett to investigate claims he speeded up a visa for his then-lover Kimberly Quinn’s nanny Leoncia Casalme, found that Mr Blunkett did not intervene in the original application for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
However, he confirmed that Mrs Quinn showed the response from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate – a letter saying application would be delayed – to Mr Blunkett.
According to Sir Alan, that letter was then taken to the Home Office either by Mr Blunkett or in a set of papers delivered to him while on a visit to Wales.
He also found that an official in Mr Blunkett’s private office raised the case with the IND, and that Ms Casalme’s case was reconsidered as a result.
However, he concluded: “I have not been able to determine whether Mr Blunkett gave any instructions in relation to the case and, if so, what they were.”
He denied allegations of a cover-up by the Home Office, saying: “I received full co-operation from Mr Blunkett and Home Office officials. I do not believe that there was any attempt to destroy, conceal or withhold documents or information that was relevant to my inquiry.”
He noted it was not within the terms of the inquiry for him to “express views on the application of the Ministerial Code of Conduct to the conduct of Mr Blunkett”.
Conservative leader Michael Howard used the Budd Inquiry’s partial criticism of former Home Secretary David Blunkett to launch a stinging attack on the Labour government.
He said: “The events surrounding the resignation of Mr Blunkett tell us everything we need to know about this government. It has followed Labour’s standard pattern. First, you deny any wrongdoing. Second, you muddy the waters. Finally, when you are bang to rights, you brazen it out.”
Slamming Tony Blair’s defence of Mr Blunkett as leaving office “with his integrity intact”, he added: “This whole saga is … yet another damning critique of the values of those who govern Britain today. Mr Blunkett is not the first of Mr Blair’s ministers to have lost his job because of misconduct. Peter Mandelson (twice). Geoffrey Robinson. Keith Vaz. Stephen Byers. Beverley Hughes. This is the grubby record that Mr Blair must now defend.”
