Budd finds Blunkett office link to visa

An official inquiry into claims that David Blunkett misused his public position to help his former lover today concluded that there was “a chain of events” linking him to the speeding up of her nanny’s application for leave to remain in Britain.

Former British treasury adviser Sir Alan Budd, in his report into the claims, said the application was processed in 52 days – 120 days quicker than average.

He described that estimated difference as “the effect of the intervention” by Mr Blunkett’s office.

Sir Alan added: “I have not been able to determine whether Mr Blunkett gave any instructions in relation to the case and, if so, what they were.”

His report came just an hour after the publication of the findings of a separate inquiry, which found that Mr Blunkett had breached Commons rules by giving Mrs Quinn a parliamentary rail warrant worth £179 (€259) .

Parliamentary standards commissioner Sir Philip Mawer said Mr Blunkett was “in clear breach” of the rules, which state that the rail passes may be used only by MPs’ spouses, not their unmarried partners.

Mr Blunkett has already admitted he was wrong to give his lover the tickets for a trip from London to Doncaster in August 2002, and has repaid the money.

Sir Philip’s report was upheld by the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee, which said: “The Green Book (which details rules on allowances) was clear that only spouses are eligible for free travel. Mr Blunkett should have been aware of this.”

In a statement, Mr Blunkett said he had apologised “unreservedly” for the misuse of the travel voucher, but insisted that it was “a genuine mistake”.

In a letter of “profuse apology” to Sir Philip on December 8, he explained that he had wrongly presumed that the right to a spouse’s rail warrant had been extended to partners in 1997, when rules were changed to allow unmarried partners to claim spouses’ passes to the Houses of Parliament.

“I considered Ms Fortier, as she was then known, to be my partner although she remained married to someone else, given that she was eight months pregnant with my child,” he wrote.

The committee did not recommend that any further action be taken against Mr Blunkett in relation to the rail ticket. He will not be required to apologise to the Commons for his breach of its rules.