Under-fire Blunkett vows to stay in office

DAVID BLUNKETT declared yesterday that he would not allow his critics to drive him out of office as he battled to save his career.

The British Work and Pensions Secretary is facing growing pressure to resign over his business links with various companies and breaches of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, said he had “undoubtedly” committed a breach in the code in failing to consult ACBA - the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments - over two business appointments.

And it emerged yesterday that he had failed to consult the committee over a third business appointment.

Mr Blunkett was forced to resign last year after becoming involved in a messy paternity dispute with his lover, Spectator publisher Kimberly Quinn.

He was re-appointed to the cabinet after Labour’s election victory in May, having taken up the business positions in the interim.

His position was further weakened following further revelations about his relationship with 29-year-old estate agent Sally Anderson.

Downing Street insisted his failure to contact ACBA over his role as a paid adviser to the Organisation for Research and Technology charity was a “mistake” which did not affect his ability to do his job.

Most worryingly for Mr Blunkett, one senior Labour backbencher, Ian Gibson, called publicly for him to consider resigning.

The latest controversy concerned his appointment as an adviser to the Organisation for Research and Technology - an international Jewish development charity also known as World ORT.

According to his entry in the April 2005 edition of the Commons Register of Members’ Interests, he was paid between £15,000 and £20,000 (€22,000 and €29,400) for his work for the organisation.

But the shadow leader of the House, Chris Grayling, disclosed that Mr Blunkett had once again failed to consult ACBA.

It follows the disclosure that he had failed to seek ACBA’s advice over appointments with DNA Bioscience, a DNA testing company, and the Indepen business consultancy.

Mr Blunkett has already announced the selling off of £15,000-worth of shares in DNA Bioscience bought on behalf of his three eldest sons after he stepped down as a company director.

“I am astonished that Mr Blunkett has broken the Ministerial Code on yet another occasion. This is getting beyond a joke,” Mr Grayling said.

“Tony Blair cannot claim the Ministerial Code is important and fail to act over these breaches.”