Fears over Blunkett feud

The battle over David Blunkett's love child could "destroy" him and former lover Kimberly Quinn, friends of the ex-minister have revealed.

After days of sniping between him and Mrs Quinn and her husband Stephen, Mr Blunkett wants to call a halt.

He is hoping an imminent court hearing will provide "a sensible and private settlement" to the fight over access to his two-year-old son William.

Friends say he believes that if the semi-public sniping continues "it will destroy us all".

Both sides have accused the other of mounting attacks in the press and leaking confidential information relating to the access case.

At the weekend it was revealed that a DNA test had proved that Mr Blunkett, 57, was not, as he had believed, the father of 44-year-old Mrs Quinn's second child, Lorcan.

A barrage of reports quoted friends of the Quinns describing him as "eaten up with jealousy" while Mr Blunkett's friends criticised Mrs Quinn for having a "hedonistic" lifestyle.

The bitter arguments have humiliated all three protagonists, while revelations about Mrs Quinn's other affairs have left her reputation in shreds.

Now that he knows five-week-old Lorcan is not his son, Mr Blunkett believes there is a chance for a quick, clean settlement granting him access to William, who was the result of a three-year affair with Mrs Quinn.

He sees it as an opportunity for them all to rebuild their lives.

One friend of Mr Blunkett's said: "He has been focusing on the legal case and has not got involved in the unpleasant briefing of the press. All he wants is to obtain access to William, whom he loves very much, and get on with his life. He is not demanding custody, just a fair arrangement so he can see his child." For the former Home Secretary, an early agreement would also provide a chance to move to the forefront of Labour's general election campaign and earn his passage back to the Cabinet.

In recent weeks he has made a handful of public appearances on the campaign trail where Labour Party chiefs found he was given an overwhelmingly warm reception by members of the public.

The friend said: "David wants to resume his political career. But he has always made clear it takes second place to reaching a fair settlement over William.

"Once he gets that, he will be in a position to think about his career."

The feuding between Mr Blunkett and the Quinns has come to resemble open warfare conducted through the tabloids, though both sides blame the other for a series of anonymous attacks.

The latest, and most toxic, comments came after the DNA test result on Lorcan was leaked to a newspaper.

An Indian media tycoon was then rumoured to be Lorcan's father, prompting the Quinns to allege "an outrageous smear campaign".

Mr Blunkett told friends he had urged the newspaper which broke the DNA test not to publish the story and that he was "stunned" to be attacked by the Quinns.

That was followed by a rival tabloid reporting that Mr Blunkett was "increasingly concerned about the hedonistic behaviour of Kimberly Quinn" and thought William could be damaged.

Mrs Quinn is reported to have had a string of lovers.

But her 60-year-old husband has steadfastly stood by her and insists he will be a true father to her sons.