Probe pending as Blunkett denies visa abuse allegations

David Blunkett is embroiled in a battle to clear his name today after press allegations that he had used his position as Home Secretary to do favours for his ex-lover.

The Sunday Telegraph claimed that Mr Blunkett had expedited a visa application from his former lover’s nanny. Claims strongly denied by Mr Blunkett who has said that he will appoint an independent investigator examine the claims made in regard to the visa application.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he had “full confidence” in Mr Blunkett.

The allegations that the Home Secretary misused his position relate to an application for a permanent residence visa by a former nanny of Kimberly Fortier, the US-born publisher of the Spectator magazine.

Mr Blunkett was revealed in the press as having had a three-year relationship with Ms Fortier who is married and is understood to be pregnant.

In an email forwarded to the Sunday Telegraph by a friend of Ms Fortier, the visa application from Filipino nanny Leoncia Casalme was said to have been "fast-tracked".

A spokesperson for Mr Blunkett said that the application had not been processed through his office. However, it is understood that Mr Blunkett had previously looked at the application to see if it was properly completed and was in "good order".

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said if that was the extent of Mr Blunkett's involvement in the matter then it would not prove "fatal". But he backed calls for an independent inquiry into the allegations to ascertain whether there was any abuse of power.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Blunkett said that he regretted the "flagrant attempt to link my public position with the deeply personal circumstances of my private life". He said that it was "right to lay the accusations to rest."

An independent investigator is expected to be appointed to head the inquiry.

(SP)