DNA tests have proved Britain's former home secretary David Blunkett is not the father of his ex-lover's baby.
Mr Blunkett last year came under intense media scrutiny after it emerged he had a three-year affair magazine publisher Kimberley Quinn. He quit in December when an inquiry found his private office had intervened in a visa application by Mrs Quinn's Fillipina nanny.
The affair ended acrimoniously last year, with Mr Blunkett reportedly claiming to be the father of the baby Mrs Quinn was carrying and his two-year old brother, William.
Baby Lorcan was born last month and Mrs Quinn agreed to Mr Blunkett's request to have DNA tests carried out to establish the child's paternity.
A spokesman for the 57-year-old Labour MP issued a statement in the early hours of this morning saying he had never claimed paternity of the baby and refusing to confirm details of legal proceedings he has taken in relation to William.
The statement said: "As is known, David Blunkett has taken legal proceedings concerning his two-year-old son. He has never revealed details of those proceedings and he has no intention of doing so now.
"It was recently inaccurately reported in a Sunday newspaper that Mr Blunkett has claimed to be the father of Mrs Quinn's recently born baby. This is not the case. Because of uncertainty about paternity, several weeks ago it was agreed with Mrs Quinn that a DNA test would be carried out.
"The test was undertaken shortly after the birth. This has established that Mr Blunkett is not the child's father. He is pleased that this has been clarified, and wishes to make clear that as far as he is concerned, there have never been, despite inaccurate press reports several weeks ago, any legal proceedings in relation to that child."
The Sun
Mr Blukett the affair with Mrs Quinn, who is the publisher of the political journal The Spectator, starting shortly after her marriage in 2001.
Her husband was met by reporters outside his London home this morning but refused to discuss the development.
"People were banging on my door up to 12 o'clock. I'm fed-up with it and I just say to you quite clearly we are not discussing our family life by the media.
"The reason is very simple. We were asked by the family court division not to do so and why is that, to protect our children, protect William and Lorcan. They are our children. We love them, we care for them.
"We have no obsession with biological details. We have an obsession with our children. That's it. That's it."
Mr Blunkett is tipped for an early return to the Cabinet if Labour wins the General Election, expected in May.
today reports a friend of Mr Blunkett saying the Labour MP received the news "with great sadness".