Blunkett saga takes another twist as journalist admits affair

A journalist yesterday admitted he also had an affair with the married lover of former British Home Secretary David Blunkett, in a surprise twist to the saga that led to the minister's swift fall from grace.

Simon Hoggart, wine correspondent at the Spectator magazine, which is published by Mr Blunkett’s former lover Kimberly Quinn, initially dismissed claims of the fling published in a Sunday newspaper.

But Mr Hoggart, who is also a columnist for the Guardian newspaper, later issued a statement confirming that he had had a sexual relationship with the US-born publisher.