As a result of his affair with the American Kimberley Quinn, the home secretary has imported a classic American political scandal and become Britain's first major political figure in the firing line over the immigration status of a nanny.
In looking over the visa application of a nanny for the boy he maintains is his son, David Blunkett has fallen smack into the Nannygate trap.
Getting into trouble over employing illegal aliens as nannies or other domestic help is a proud tradition in modern American politics. Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood led the way, failing one after the other to be named attorney general under Bill Clinton when it emerged they had employed undocumented domestic help. Now it's standard practice for the opposition to search for illegal home help in blocking an unwanted nomination.
But Blunkett has added a twist that raises British nannygate far above the average, tax-bore American versions, which usually rely on political opponents to dig the dirt on the housekeeper.
It seems to be Mr Blunkett's ex-lover, her husband and their endlessly quotable "friends", rather than the Conservative party, gunning for his political life. This could create a whole new Nannygate model of Mummy having Daddy sacked for attempting to prove his paternity.
I sure hope the nanny worked out.
