குருவிகளின் வேண்டுகோளை ஏற்று செய்திகள் முழுமையாக ஆங்கிலத்தில் ......
Home Sec Blunkett quits
By SUN ONLINE REPORTER
DAVID Blunkett has tonight resigned from his post as Home Secretary.
Mr Blunkett said he was quitting after Sir Alan Budd, appointed to investigate allegations that he fast-tracked a visa for his former lover's nanny, established that there had been an exchange of emails about the application between his office and immigration officials.
Mr Blunkett said: "I have always been honest about my recollection of events.
"But any perception of this application being speeded up requires me to take responsibility.
"That is why with enormous regret I have tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister today."
Mr Blunkett had been under mounting pressure over claims that he helped his ex-lover Kimberly Quinn's Filipina nanny Leoncia Casalme get leave to stay in the UK and get visas for foreign trips.
He has consistently denied any wrong-doing but quit today after Sir Alan Budd presented him with new evidence.
In his statement, Mr Blunkett said: "When the issue of the application for ILR (indefinite leave to remain in the UK) for Ms Casalme emerged on November 28, I immediately asked for an inquiry to be set up.
"Sir Alan Budd has undertaken that inquiry over the last two weeks.
"The key issue has always been whether I used my public office for private benefit.
"Since these issues were first raised, I have always given my honest recollection of the facts, on the record as I remembered them.
"At that time and subsequently I said that the issue of Ms Casalme's application was not taken up by my office beyond it being read to me initially.
"These statements have been based on the recollections of myself and the officials in my office at the time.
"Yesterday, Sir Alan Budd told me there had indeed been a fax and an exchange of emails between my office and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate - not based on the application form as originally alleged but on the subsequent letter (informing her of a possible 12 month delay) of which I was always aware but did not remember holding a copy. I have no recollection of dealing with this in any way.
"However, whether or not I asked for any action to be taken is irrelevant to the inference that can be drawn.
"Given I have no recollection of issuing instructions to deal with the application, but only to continuing the elimination of the backlog in general, the easy thing would be to hide behind my officials.
"I will not do such a thing. In no way is my office or any individual within the department to blame for what happened."
Mr Blunkett said his problems would never have arisen if he had not insisted on maintaining contact with Mrs Quinn's son, who the Home Secretary believes to be his child. Mrs Quinn disputes this and the couple are locked in a legal battle.
Mr Blunkett, a divorced father of two grown up sons, said: "I believe these issues would never have been raised had I not decided in September that I could not walk away from my youngest son.
"I could not live with myself or believe I had done the best for him in the long term if I had abandoned my relationship with him.
"I only sought continued access to him through the courts, as I made clear two weeks ago, because all other avenues had been denied me.
He concluded by saying: "For 34 years, I have built my political career and earned the trust of the people I have served through being honest and truthful.
"Everything I have said in the last few weeks about this application I have believed to be true based on my own recollections and those of others despite the frenzy of allegations made in the media against me.
"I have always been honest about my recollection of events. But any perception of this application being speeded up requires me to take responsibility.
"That is why with enormous regret I have tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister today.
"I want to thank the thousands of people who have contacted me over the last weeks with such supportive messages. I would also like to thank my ministerial and parliamentary colleagues.
"Above all I want to thank my sons and my closest friends for the tremendous support they have given me.
"In particular I want to thank the Prime Minister - my friend and the most outstanding international politician of our age.
"It has been an honour to serve him and the Labour Government I worked so hard to help create."
<b>நன்றி - சண் பத்திரிகை</b>
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<span style='font-size:20pt;line-height:100%'>Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.</span>
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