Oh, the irony... Cheers, RAH ------- <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/politics/4056987.stm> The BBC Tuesday, 30 November, 2004, 22:57 GMT Blunkett faces new visa questions David Blunkett is facing new questions about whether he "fast-tracked" a visa application for his ex-lover's nanny. The Daily Mail is publishing what it says are two Home Office letters to Leoncia Casalme, Kimberly Quinn's nanny The first tells her it could take up to a year to process her visa claim, but another letter 19 days later says she can now stay in the UK indefinitely. But Mr Blunkett's spokesman says he has done nothing wrong and the reported letters change nothing. Letters shift Ex-civil servant Sir Alan Budd has been appointed by the government to review the handling of the visa application and examine all the papers. Mr Blunkett has said he checked Ms Casalme's application for permanent residence was filled in correctly but did not intervene to get it approved. The letters published in the Daily Mail do not mention Mr Blunkett or indicate that he interfered in the process. " There will now be many unanswered questions hanging over the home secretary's head " David Davis BBC political editor Andrew Marr said the letters were only circumstantial evidence but on the face of it were "potentially very damaging". A letter to Miss Casalme on 23 April 2003 says her application cannot be decided immediately. It says: "The waiting period for these cases is about 12 months at the moment... "On current performance, we estimate that your application will be decided by January 2004." But a second letter dated the 12 May tells Miss Casalme: "You can now remain indefinitely in the United Kingdom." Apology Conservative shadow home secretary David Davis said: "If the Daily Mail story is correct, it is very difficult to understand how this can be the normal length of procedure for an application to remain. "Mr Blunkett will have to explain precisely how this rapid processing of the application came about. If he influenced this matter, his position is untenable." The reports emerged after Mr Blunkett said he was repaying #180 to Parliament for the first class train ticket he gave to then lover Mrs Quinn. He apologised for his "genuine mistake". The rail warrants are intended for MPs' spouses and Mr Blunkett's spokesman said he had now realised his error. Mark Leech, editor of the Prison's Handbook, complained about the rail ticket to Parliament's standards watchdog, Sir Philip Mawer. Despite Mr Blunkett's admission, Mr Leech said he still wants an inquiry, saying: "I have come across many cases where prison officers have been made to resign over falsified expense claims. This is no different." Sir Philip says he will look at the evidence behind the complaint before deciding whether to investigate. Mrs Quinn, who is seven months pregnant, was admitted to hospital on Monday night amid the stress caused by the controversy. Her husband, Stephen, said the problems were not serious but he did not know when she would be discharged. Downing Street denies Tory suggestions the scope of that inquiry is too narrow, saying the Home Office would look at less serious issues. Tony Blair's official spokesman also rejected suggestions that the prime minister had prejudged the review when he predicted it would exonerate Mr Blunkett. The spokesman said that by giving Mr Blunkett his public backing, Mr Blair had just been expressing trust and confidence in his home secretary. -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'