Redwood marriage 'was over last year'

John Redwood today claimed his marriage had been over for more than a year before he started dating his researcher Nikki Page.

Friends of the ex-Tory minister strongly disputed the version of events given by Mr Redwood's wife of 29 years, Gail. She said her husband rang her "out of the blue" to inform her their marriage was over and to ask her to leave their £950,000 Berkshire home.

Today a close friend of Mr Redwood, 53, claimed that the marriage had effectively broken up by January 2002.

Last September, there was a legal agreement to separate and a financial settlement which Mrs Redwood was said to have found "extremely generous". In January this year, there was a "lastditch-attempt to save the marriage" but this failed, and a final financial settlement was agreed by both in April.

The friend has known ex-model Ms Page, 51, for about five years and said there was " nothing between" her and Mr Redwood during that time.