BRITAIN: British prime minister Tony Blair declared his full support for British culture secretary Tessa Jowell yesterday as ministers insisted she should not be forced from office as the result of "trial by ordeal".
Ms Jowell won her strongest endorsement yet from Mr Blair following the announcement at the weekend that she and lawyer-husband David Mills are to separate, at least temporarily - a decision which 10 Downing Street maintained was "irrelevant" to her ministerial career. Ms Jowell cleared two further hurdles yesterday as her husband waited to learn, possibly later today, if Italian prosecutors intend to charge him alongside Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
She won the agreement of the parliamentary commissioner for standards, Philip Mawer, that she had no need to change her entry in the register of MPs interests to reflect the £344,000 "gift" her husband received and which she said she knew nothing of. She was then helped through the departmental questions ordeal in the Commons with a strong show of Labour, and some opposition, support.
Mr Blair last week cleared Ms Jowell of breaching the ministerial code of conduct after accepting her assurance that she only discovered the supposed "gift" after her husband agreed with Inland Revenue it should be regarded as earnings, at which point it did not need to be declared. And Ms Jowell met the commissioner yesterday to close down the issue of the disputed gift before her first Commons appearance since she became embroiled in the controversy.
An unusually large number of ministerial colleagues and Labour and opposition backbenchers were in the chamber, prompting Ms Jowell to hope that questions about culture, media and sport would continue to prove the parliamentary "highlight" they were yesterday.
Though nervous, she was at least temporarily relieved to answer questions about the Oscars, digital television and BBC standards rather than hedge funds, multiple mortgages and offshore accounts, which have plagued her for weeks.
Conservative Mark Lancaster reflected the mood in the House, telling her it was a genuine pleasure to see her at the despatch box. And Labour's Kitty Ussher anticipated Ms Jowell continuing to lead her department "with her customary vigour".
Outside the Commons, however, Labour MPs were debating whether she should go, and could she still hope to lead Labour's campaign in important London-wide council elections in May.
Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey suggested only a personal statement answering questions could prevent her proving an unwelcome distraction in the local elections.
MP Glenda Jackson also said the situation was "farcical" and that Ms Jowell should consider whether to stand down for the good of the Labour Party. However, Ms Jowell won surprise backing from MP Bob Marshall-Andrews, anti-war rebel and frequent scourge of "New Labour" ministers, who said the Italian authorities pursuing Mr Mills were guilty of "an abuse of process" and that the minister was not morally obliged to resign.
If there was to be a criminal trial, Mr Marshall-Andrews said, it should go ahead but ministers should not have their futures dictated by such a process.
Last night Tory backbencher Nigel Evans wrote to Ms Jowell listing questions about her declaration or non-declaration of interests, and specifically in respect of reports that Mr Mills made a large profit on shares in a drinks chain bought at a time when she was a health minister and the government was considering a relaxation in the licensing laws.