I am no New Labour lover but I do feel very sorry for DB over this whole affair. It's a shame that such a down to earth, hard working, well thought of constituency MP should have ended up in this mess.

What sort of woman is unfaithful to her husband of 6 months while at the same time undergoing IVF treatment? While I question his choice of partner I do believe that his private life should be just that, PRIVATE and that unless an enquiry shows that he has behaved in a dishonouable and dishonest way then the press should stop hounding him.

With an election just around the corner, I fear that this could be the end of DB.

no- he will survive this, thisis the first time he has ever stepped out of line or had a scandall like this so he will be ok, the public like him and the papers are just building it up to be something bigger than it actually is.

Originally posted by Mo
I am no New Labour lover but I do feel very sorry for DB over this whole affair. It's a shame that such a down to earth, hard working, well thought of constituency MP should have ended up in this mess.

What sort of woman is unfaithful to her husband of 6 months while at the same time undergoing IVF treatment? While I question his choice of partner I do believe that his private life should be just that, PRIVATE and that unless an enquiry shows that he has behaved in a dishonouable and dishonest way then the press should stop hounding him.

With an election just around the corner, I fear that this could be the end of DB.

good, i hope it does end in his political demise...when i was sufferring severe domestic abuse a couple of years ago...i had the courage to get out of it,but was still being harassed...the police wernt much use and i ended up in writing to him and the cps...hes wasnt bothered and told me that helen jackson would deal with the issues id raised...then...when the media started to highlight the ongoing problem of DV being ignored, he stood there on the news and hypocritcally said hed do his utmost to help women in this situation...thanx to the likes of him, my perpetrator got a way with a whole load of offences..i still live in fear 2 years on
regards
HD

I have a small amount of sympathy for him over the way the media treats people.

BUT, if he had anything to do with accelerating a visa application for his own ends then he would be sacked and deserve it. Exactly the same would happen if you were a civil servant working on visa applications, so his case should be no different.

Personally, I'm a little sceptical as to whether he would have been stupid enough to actually have done it.

i hope this finishes his cabinet career as its a slim ray of hope for civil liberties in this country which he seems hell bent on removing and curtailing at any cost under the guise of protecting us from terrorists.

With the threat of terrorism David Blunkett has got probably the most important job in the government at the moment. And while I thing it's disgusting to have an affair with a married women I don't thing it's a resigning matter, however can he really be expected to give his important job all the attention it needs whilst potentially fighting custody battles for this women's kids all under the media spotlight.

If I had to go through all the stress he is about to, my work would suffer, will Blunkett be any different?

We can only hope so - then the chances of us living in a police state in the near future may just decline a bit!

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
With the threat of terrorism David Blunkett has got probably the most important job in the government at the moment. And while I thing it's disgusting to have an affair with a married women I don't thing it's a resigning matter, however can he really be expected to give his important job all the attention it needs whilst potentially fighting custody battles for this women's kids all under the media spotlight.

If I had to go through all the stress he is about to, my work would suffer, will Blunkett be any different?

I haven't heard anyone suggest he should resign for having an affair with a married woman.

Only because he broke the rules on expense claims and allegedly interefere with a visa application.

I fail to see where the threat of terrorism comes into it at all.

Originally posted by Yodameister
I haven't heard anyone suggest he should resign for having an affair with a married woman.

Only because he broke the rules on expense claims and allegedly interefere with a visa application.

I fail to see where the threat of terrorism comes into it at all.


Terrorism comes into it because Blunkett has spent so much of his time telling us how in danger we all are and how because of this his measures are necessary. If Terrorism is the huge threat he makes out surely the person employed to protect us against it should be fully focused upon the issue. Blunkett shouldn't resign because of his affair but if the fall out of this affairs is going to effect his capacity as a minister maybe for the good of us all he should step aside and give the job to someone not as distracted as he will become.


But this is all speculation maybe Blunkett is such a superior human being he can simultaneously fight a twin custody battle, deal with his lover betraying him and fend of the tabloids without his work suffering.

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
Terrorism comes into it because Blunkett has spent so much of his time telling us how in danger we all are and how because of this his measures are necessary. If Terrorism is the huge threat he makes out surely the person employed to protect us against it should be fully focused upon the issue. Blunkett shouldn't resign because of his affair but if the fall out of this affairs is going to effect his capacity as a minister maybe for the good of us all he should step aside and give the job to someone not as distracted as he will become.


But this is all speculation maybe Blunkett is such a superior human being he can simultaneously fight a twin custody battle, deal with his lover betraying him and fend of the tabloids without his work suffering.

That seems to suggest that having a life disqualifies you from being a secretary of state. You hear all the time people complaining that politicians don't know what "life on the street" is like - this would just exacerbate that.

Anyway, it is the security services and police who's job it is to protect us, not the secretary of state.

Originally posted by Yodameister
That seems to suggest that having a life disqualifies you from being a secretary of state. You hear all the time people complaining that politicians don't know what "life on the street" is like - this would just exacerbate that.

Anyway, it is the security services and police who's job it is to protect us, not the secretary of state.


Theirs nothing wrong with having a life but you must admit Blunkett is about to be put under some pretty extraordinary pressures more then any other minister.

And surely as home secretary he coordinates the police and security services

Originally posted by Disco_Cat
Theirs nothing wrong with having a life but you must admit Blunkett is about to be put under some pretty extraordinary pressures more then any other minister.

And surely as home secretary he coordinates the police and security services

I'm really not being argumentative for the sake of it but no, he doesn't coordinate it. Politicians decide how the country should be run, civil servants do the coordinating of it.

I do agree that secretaries of state are put under a lot of stress though - but that doesn't mean that he should be spared his job if he has personally involved himself in a visa application that had nothing to do with the "national interest".

what it has to do with terrorism is that blunkett is using the vastly over hyped threat of terrorism to pass a whole raft of laws that restrict or remove civil liberties and rights from the populace of the uk.

if he goes, however he goes, it's a good thing for freedom in this country.

i doubt if he would have called for an independent enquiry if he had done something bad enough to lose his job over, if he had wouldnt he have admitted it rather than being embarrassed by an enquiry?

a lot of its been blown out of proportion and its a shame, for example the allegation about giving the woman a train ticket meant for him etc - im sure anyone would do this for a loved one if the opportunity arose, my auntie lends me her company car sometimes instead of me paying for petrol! not exactly the same but you see what i mean... hes getting strung up for what loads of people do, just because hes in the spotlight.

on the other hand, if you're in the spotlight you have to allow for things been magnified and he probably should have been more careful.

i hope hes not blown it, i like him - he walks his dog in the woods near my house!

Lets hope the tories erm sorry New Labour get ousted next year then Blunkett will be outof a job...just reading what Hacker_D said about him has made my blood boil. This govt are a lousy bunch of liars, how can you trust a bloke who thinks having an affair with a married woman is ok? I am no religious nut but this kind of immorality sucks quite frankly. I am not surpised he made an hypocritical statement about domestic violence as most of this govt are hypocrits...see Tony Blair and his many lies for more info..

I cant jump on the civil liberties bandwagon though...i think ID cards are a good thing..if you ve got nothing to hide then why be concerned? Same goes for police and their random searches..why not? Only those with something to hide protest.

What we must realise is that with mass illegal immigration we are a breeding ground for terrorist cells...conversely though its this govt who partly started this illegal and immoral war and mismanaged immigration who have set us all up for this...I despair...I know sheffield is a staunch labour area, and I am one of those red flag carriers..but we need these liars out before they cripple us..Id rather have that idiot Howard as PM than Tony boy!

The media are all over him like a rash and it's unfortunate but this little transgression probably isn't going to harm him in the least, a guy who doesn't come across with much charisma is now 'one of the lads' and far more interesting.
The only thing that I've really picked up on is the fact that family members of ministers get FREE rail travel, now that rreally does bug me, my question being why on earth do they recieve this perk at the cost of the tax payer and to infuriate me even more it's first class, why not second?

Quite a few people have said they'd like to see Blunket go because he's a control freak.....civil liberties...etc...well...true...but he would probably be replaced with someone just the same or even more power-loving !
The whole mood of this government and to a large extent the Tories, is the desire to control our lives at every level.The really sad and surprising thing is ,is how the vast majority of people have rolled over and begged for more !
It's amazing in this country how many people want to ban things and make everything they don't like,illegal.This is in a country that once used to pride itself on being "free". No wonder the government pass more and more laws----it's so easy for them.
I know this is a bit of a cliche but I think it's true:-"People get the governments that they deserve".
Every time Brussels or Strasbourg or The Hague passes yet another law,we, in Britain are not only the first to obey it but often go further than we need to.[read almost anything by Christopher Brooker ? Booker?] Meanwhile the French....et al are laughing at us and going their own sweet way.
Come in Wat Tyler,we need you. !

With an election just around the corner, I fear that this could be the end of DB. [/B]
Brightside is such a solidly Labour seat that the only way DB would lose is if he joined another party.

Poor DB - the Piranha Press can smell his blood and look quite determined to gobble him up. Even the BBC seem ready to have him hung, drawn and quartered :rolleyes:

Much as I dislike the public face of the man and some of his policies he has to be admired for his grit and tenacity on the greasy pole of politics. [And isn't he the first blind person to gain a first-rank cabinet post ?]

However for a man in his position to set out philandering in his late fifties with someone else's new bride is pretty foolhardy IMO. If it was true love it was pretty short lived, but I'd like to see him escape the teeth of the mindless hacks and the pathetic 'holier than thou' Tories, who are really after his blood cos he pinched their best policies :P

Originally posted by Greybeard
.... and the pathetic 'holier than thou' Tories, who are really after his blood cos he pinched their best policies :P Not just their policies but also their wives and mistresses.

I thought this thread was never going to get created.

The opposition parties have so far been very kind to Blunkett.

And in my own estimation the Home Secretary is and will always be a Plonkett. Although I think that Blunkett is not fit to hold the position that he does and I agree that mis-use of public funds is reprehensible, I don't actually believe that he would be stupid enough to fast track a visa himself.

My opinion is that someone else has seen Blunketts name on supporting documentation and panicked hurrying the visa through but not with direct instruction from Mr Blunkett.

Poor Old Blunkers

Unfortunate bloke. Sounds to me that he's been the victim of a nasty gold digging harlet. BLunkett is destined to be a millionaire with the procedes of his lecture tours in a few years time when he retires from politics. I understand from my Dad that he used to be a local Methodist lay preacher. I think he was a teacher as well. No matter what you think of him he's a tough, resourceful, talented, and intelegent bloke. I don't think Blair can afford to lose him. He'll be around for years yet.

Blunkett's department was recently criticised for fouling up on the immigration question - remember the poor whistleblower who got sacked? Blunkett's currently being criticised personally for another foul up on the immigration scene.
Another thing has just come to my attention. An illegal immigrant who keeps moving house (and town) with the Home Office chasing her, has been daft enough to bring a race discrimination case against her employer - a business in Brightside (Blunkett's constituency?). Not clever when you are trying to remain anonymous. When it came out at the tribunal that the person was an illegal immigrant the Home Office (Blunkett again) didn't want to know. Strange, since they'd been chasing her for some time. Perhpas another space to watch.....
However, when DB was at the Town Hall, he was the only councillor to tell the p.c. brigade to pack in all their silly stances on things like banning 'black'boards in schools etc.

Originally posted by nuf_said
.
However, when DB was at the Town Hall, he was the only councillor to tell the p.c. brigade to pack in all their silly stances on things like banning 'black'boards in schools etc.

He was also one of the lets follow the LIverpool Brigade and set an illegal budget in the mid 80's. To hell with responsibility and the fact that the city may end up in the hands of the District Auditor instead of elected councillors. If all the 20 or so Labour Councillors who in my opinion saved this city from going to the wall, had voted with Blunkett, Betts et al then none of them would have been able to stand for MP's because they'd all have become declaired bankrupts.

Originally posted by Mo
He was also one of the lets follow the LIverpool Brigade and set an illegal budget in the mid 80's. To hell with responsibility and the fact that the city may end up in the hands of the District Auditor instead of elected councillors. If all the 20 or so Labour Councillors who in my opinion saved this city from going to the wall, had voted with Blunkett, Betts et al then none of them would have been able to stand for MP's because they'd all have become declaired bankrupts.

Yes that's true - and remember when Sheffield was nearly bankrupt how many of the councillors did become MPs overnight. Blunkett, Betts, Jackson, Michie? Rats and sinking ships come to mind. They even sold our streetlights to a French bank (for cash) and we were then allowed to rent them back from the bank. A way of getting round the government's blocking any more public borrowing. Mad?

I think whilst Blunkett is a pretty canny political player he has done himself no favours by conducting a relationship with a married woman and allegedly abusing certain aspects of his parlimentry powers. It is not so long ago that these acts on their own would have had the house baying for resignation.

New Labour came to power boasting that there would be no more sleaze, so far they have proved that their MP's halos are just as likely to slip as their conservative counterparts.

This may have damaged his present image but I imagine it would take a bit more than this to spoil things in the long term.

Originally posted by Beth
i doubt if he would have called for an independent enquiry if he had done something bad enough to lose his job over, if he had wouldnt he have admitted it rather than being embarrassed by an enquiry?

a lot of its been blown out of proportion and its a shame, for example the allegation about giving the woman a train ticket meant for him etc - im sure anyone would do this for a loved one if the opportunity arose, my auntie lends me her company car sometimes instead of me paying for petrol! not exactly the same but you see what i mean... hes getting strung up for what loads of people do, just because hes in the spotlight.

on the other hand, if you're in the spotlight you have to allow for things been magnified and he probably should have been more careful.

i hope hes not blown it, i like him - he walks his dog in the woods near my house!

if i committed expenses fraud by doing that i'd be sacked, i don't see why you think it's not important if someone with far more responsability than me and someone who is accountable to the public does it then it's not an important matter.

The old argument about having nothing to hide. Down that road lies constant surveillance and monitoring by big brother, as afterall only criminals have anything to hide.
It's nothing to do with hiding anything, it's about privacy and a right to act without constantly being monitored by the government. They exist to make my life easier (along with 56 million other peoples) and to do things as an organisation that individuals can't. That doesn't include controlling and monitoring all of the individuals who elect them.

Regarding 'massive illegal immigration', is there actually any evidence for this or for it 'breeding' terrorist cells. Afterall apart from our home grown terrorists that we managed with for 20 years not much has happened recently to justify those fears. And of course these people won't get an id card, how exactly does that stop them blowing something up?

Originally posted by evildrneil
We can only hope so - then the chances of us living in a police state in the near future may just decline a bit!
That certainly crossed my my mind!

Guilty or not, he will not be in too much trouble!

On the great scheme of things, this sort of perk is like stealing stationary from the office to an MP.

His private life seems a real mess though!!!

Originally posted by venger
That certainly crossed my my mind!

Guilty or not, he will not be in too much trouble!

On the great scheme of things, this sort of perk is like stealing stationary from the office to an MP.

His private life seems a real mess though!!!

on the scheme of things it's like he stole £180 for a train ticket.
In any company that would be gross misconduct and punishable by immediate dismisal, why on earth should he get away with it.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
Poor Old Blunkers

Unfortunate bloke. Sounds to me that he's been the victim of a nasty gold digging harlet. BLunkett is destined to be a millionaire with the procedes of his lecture tours in a few years time when he retires from politics. I understand from my Dad that he used to be a local Methodist lay preacher. I think he was a teacher as well. No matter what you think of him he's a tough, resourceful, talented, and intelegent bloke. I don't think Blair can afford to lose him. He'll be around for years yet.

In which case surely the title of this thread should be Has David Blunkett's Married Lover Blown It :)

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
Not just their policies but also their wives and mistresses.

Ah yes...I'd forgotten the lady is the publisher of the Spectator. Not sure what her husband does,- is he a big Tory too ?

Can see though why he's so anxious about the children, he wouldn't want them raised as had-nosed Conservatives :)

David Blunket is entitled to a private life the same as you and me,but this will not stop my party from bringing this episode to the fore in the general election.
Of course new labour hope it will have blown over come the election but if he is still in the job then sorry but he will indeed be reminded of this little episode.
I have no doubt that this has weakend him and although his seat is indeed solid labour we will do all we can to dent his majority.
Having said all this I personally do feel sorry for the man but politics is a hard buisness.

One or two points to ponder.
When you think of Blunkett's salary and his expense allowance and the salary his girlfriend was getting,it beats me how greedy they must be to fiddle another £180.It's not the same as an ordinary person doing it.Most people earning an average salary in this country are ripped off right ,left and centre by governments who squander their money.David Blunkett can't have many financial problems and must have good prospects on the book front and the lecture circuit.
He's the classic control freak.Nobody seems to think what might very well happen in years to come if we get an extreme right-wing or left-wing government. All those powers that D.B. is accumulating will be passed on and it'll be too late then to say you've got nothing to hide. I can't think of one terrorist attack that hasbeen stopped by I.D. cards.We haven't got enough police to catch even chavs---we'll have to employ hundreds of thousands of personnel to keep checking on everybody.
It'll be just like the old East Germany---without all the fun.

DAVID really should have had more SENSE.

It appears that he has, I am amazed that a minister who had the "full confidence" of the PM has had to resign over potential party embarassment at his personal and alleged political indiscretions.

That said, I'll look forward to the findings of the Budd inquiry and raise a glass to one in the eye for labour.- However its not all roses .......... Charles Clarke is back (again).

MOD: Closing this thread as it's been overtaken by events. Thread on David's resignation here:

David Blunkett resigns (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23907)