Blunkett admits ‘mistake’ and resigns
David Blunkett has today resigned as work and pensions secretary, admitting he “made a mistake” in failing to consult an advisory committee before taking an outside job.
It is the second time the MP for Sheffield Brightside has resigned from the cabinet within a year – in December, he stepped down as home secretary over allegations that he fast-tracked a visa for his former lover’s nanny.
Today, Mr Blunkett said he had “clearly breached the ministerial code of conduct” in taking a job with DNA Bioscience without consulting the parliamentary body, even though he declared his shares in the firm on the register of interests.
“What I am clear about is that I made a mistake. Should I have written to the advisory commission informing the chairman of offices I intended to take outside government? Yes, I should,” he said.
However, Mr Blunkett denied any suggestions that he had made representations for the firm to the Department for Work and Pensions – which was why he told his local newspaper yesterday that he had done nothing wrong.
“When I say I’ve done nothing wrong I mean I’ve not in office taken any step, had any discussions, any talks or misused my position in any way,” he explained.
And he denied he was wrong in buying shares in DNA Bioscience, insisting he had properly declared his dealings with the company in the register of MPs’ interests, on his website and even on a press release when he rejoined the cabinet.
“Having investments and holding shares in modern Britain is not a crime – declaring them is an imperative,” Mr Blunkett said.
“Not only had I declared that holding and those connections but ensured a firewall between me and any decisions to be taken with regards to Child Support Agency and decisions on DNA testing.”
Despite the media frenzy surrounding Mr Blunkett in the past few weeks, the former secretary of state said he “could not grumble”, and actually praised the role of the press in “prying things out”.
However, he said “you don’t need to be genius to realise that the events of the last few weeks have certainly been a diversion” from the government’s work. He resigned this morning because he realised that to stay on further was “not tenable”.
He expressed his thanks for the prime minister’s support, adding that he was “deeply sorry” for any embarrassment caused to Tony Blair by the events of the past few weeks.
“I am guilty of a mistake and I am paying the price for it. I make no bones about it. I am extremely proud of what I’ve been able to do for the last eight years…I am proud of our government and hope, not to return to government, but to play a part in public life,” he added.
Speaking during prime minister’s questions in the Commons today, Mr Blair said that whatever mistakes his cabinet colleague had made, “I have always believed that he is a decent, honourable man who has contributed a great deal to this country”.
He said he had looked into three sets of allegations levelled against Mr Blunkett: that he breached the ministerial code; failed to register his shareholdings; and had discussions on behalf of DNA Bioscience.
“If [the latter accusation] had been true, it would have been a dismissable offence. But I looked into it and found it to be completely untrue, and therefore it was not right in the circumstances for him to resign,” Mr Blair said.
The prime minister will now have to find a replacement at the Department of Work and Pensions who will be able not only to deal with the forthcoming problems of pensions reform, but who will get Labour’s much-vaunted welfare reforms back on track.
