Blunkett faces increasing pressure

David Blunkett is facing increasing pressure as new allegations that he breached the ministerial code of conduct emerged.

On Tuesday, ‘The Times’ revealed that Mr Blunkett had failed to heed the advice of three separate letters, from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, regarding taking jobs while out of the Cabinet.

Sir Alistair Graham, the chairman of the Committee for Standards in Public Life, said that this showed that he had breached the code of conduct.

Mr Blunkett, the Work and Pensions Secretary has insisted that he has done nothing wrong. The Prime Minister has also continued to support him. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Tony Blair said: “David Blunkett has accepted he made a mistake. The question is, does that mistake stop him doing his job? The Prime Minister’s judgement is that it does not.”

The row erupted after it emerged that Mr Blunkett had joined the Board of DNA Bioscience before the General Election and after his resignation as Home Secretary, after it emerged that he had fast-tracked a visa application for his former lover’s nanny.

It also emerged that Mr Blunkett purchased £15,000 worth of shares in the firm for his sons –stocks that could dramatically rise in value if the company achieves a stock market listing.

According to the official ministerial code, Mr Blunkett should have sought advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

Mr Blunkett has admitted that he did not seek advice from the Committee, but said that he had been told on a previous occasion that consultation of the Committee was voluntary.

On Monday evening, Mr Blunkett announced that he had asked his sons to sell the shares without making a profit.

However, Conservatives are continuing to press for an inquiry.

In a letter to Mr Blair, Shadow Commons Leader Chris Grayling said: "Mr Blunkett has admitted to breaching the Ministerial Code. Sir Alistair Graham, Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Lord Mayhew, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, and Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell all agree that Mr Blunkett broke the rules by not contacting the advisory committee. Mr Blair has said, 'I will expect all Ministers to work within the letter and spirit of the code.' What action will he now take against Mr Blunkett for breaking it?

"As the final arbiter of the code, it falls to the Prime Minister to decide what should happen to Ministers that break it. The Prime Minister cannot continue to duck these questions."

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, also stepped into the row, declaring Mr Blunkett was “damaged property”. He said: “His own colleagues will have to decide if he's a liability to them. The fact that he didn't consult the advisory committee is not a trivial matter. It's obligatory to consult the committee. David Blunkett must have known this. He is a liability to the Government. He has lost the plot. David Blunkett is a remarkable man, but he has resigned once because of poor judgement, so it's extraordinary that he's done it again. He is unable to carry out his proper responsibilities."

Liberal Democrats work and pensions spokesperson David Laws has also written to Mr Blair regarding Mr Blunkett and tabled a series of Parliamentary questions on the issue.

He said: “David Blunkett yesterday failed to draw a line under this matter. His Ministerial career is hanging by a thread.

“The facts that have come to light, suggest there had not merely been a technical breach of the rules. There are some serious concerns about the Secretary of State’s judgement and motives.”

(KMcA/SP)