CONTRARY to Tony Blair's declaration of support, David Blunkett has not left the Government with his integrity intact.

Sir Alan Budd's report constitutes an open verdict which leaves serious question marks over the conduct of the former Home Secretary.

Did Mr Blunkett personally order the fast-tracking of a visa application by his ex-lover's nanny? The Budd inquiry has been unable to come up with a satisfactory answer to the key question at the heart of the mess which has enveloped one of the great offices of government.

Mr Blunkett broke the rules - rules he should have been aware of - when he allowed Kimberly Quinn to use his rail pass. That much is conclusive.

But the Budd inquiry could only find that there was a "chain of events" linking Mr Blunkett to the fast-tracking of the visa. We only have his word that he didn't personally intervene.

At the very least, Mr Blunkett's judgement has been sadly lacking and - for all the public appreciation of a remarkable man with wide appeal as a straight-talker - it is enough to beg the question: Can he really be trusted?

So here we are, with these momentous questions of integrity and trust again being directed at a Government with a regrettable reputation for spin and which already stands accused of taking us to war on a false premise.

And yet, remarkably, this is the Government which yesterday went up two points to 40 per cent in an ICM poll on behalf of the Guardian, a nine point lead over the Conservatives.

The Government should be fighting for survival but it has the largest lead since May 2003. And that is very worrying indeed for those who, like us, believe in strong opposition.