Writer had affair with Blunkett lover says paper

Kimberly Quinn with her 2-year-old son, William, and husband Stephen. David Blunkett says William is his son. Picture / Reuters

LONDON - A journalist has denied having a fling with David Blunkett's lover while she was involved in her affair with the former British Home Secretary.

Simon Hoggart, wine correspondent for the Spectator magazine published by Kimberly Quinn, rejected the claims as "bullshit".

Hoggart, 57, also a BBC Radio 4 regular and columnist for the Guardian newspaper, said he had spoken to Quinn who was also "shocked and horrified" by the reports.

The married father-of-two said he was considering legal action.

He was speaking after the News of the World reported that the pair would meet for lunch, especially on Saturdays, before heading to a secret love nest.

A spokeswoman for the newspaper said: "The News of the World stands by the story."

Hoggart said: "I'm a friend of Kimberly and have been for a long time. We are colleagues as well. Nothing happened. Somebody who hates her very much, and I don't know who that is, is trying to blacken her name."

Quinn, heavily pregnant with a second child, left hospital at the weekend after 18 days of treatment for complications her husband, Stephen, says have been brought on by stress.

The couple left their Mayfair home before the latest reports surfaced.

During a bitter break-up the former Home Secretary has launched legal action for access to Quinn's eldest child, who he believes to be his son.

Quinn claimed he had abused his power by getting a visa for her nanny fast-tracked.

Blunkett continues to deny any involvement but resigned when Sir Alan Budd's inquiry into the affair found his original account of his involvement to be untrue.

Budd's full report, along with the results of a separate investigation by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Philip Mawer, are expected this week.

Blunkett has vowed to fight back against any suggestion that he has lied or behaved dishonestly.

Blunkett described his downfall as a case of "the American millionairess knocking out the voice of the people".

He added: "Now they have got all the resources and I have got none. I have been honest all along."

Most Britons agree that Blunkett had to resign, according to the first poll conducted since his resignation, for the Independent on Sunday. In interviews done after the former Home Secretary's departure, 52 per cent of the public said he was right to resign, while 39 per cent said he was wrong.

Sir Alan will confirm that the Filipina nanny, Leoncia Casalme, was given favourable treatment by the immigration service days after a letter warning that her application could take a year.

Blunkett has admitted that he used the letter as an example when he ticked off immigration officials in April 2003 over the size of their backlog. The service was due to begin charging applicants £155 each. The then Home Secretary warned that long delays would be unacceptable.

A leaked memo, seen by the Independent on Sunday, shows that the backlog continued growing after Casalme had received permission to reside permanently in the UK in May 2003.

An immigration source told the Independent on Sunday that there was a "common culture" in the immigration service of fast-tracking visas at the request of ministers and diplomats.

- INDEPENDENT