David Blunkett did the right thing by stepping down as Home Secretary, a Southend MP has said.

Sir Teddy Taylor, Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East, said: "I am very sorry for him. I always feel sorry for someone who has spent a long time building up a career then sees it collapsing.

"But someone taking power and using it on a personal basis, which it seems he did, must stand down to maintain standards in British politics.

"It helps that he resigned, otherwise it would have had a devastating affect on Government. I don't think it will make much difference at election time. These things are forgotten astonishingly quickly.

"But when I think of the people in Southend who wait six months for a reply to a letter from the Home Office, I can imagine they would be angry about what happened."

Mr Blunkett is facing a probe into the claims that he abused his position by fast-tracking a visa application for his lover's nanny. He is also fighting a paternity battle with his former lover, Kimberley Quinn.