Blair defiant as Hodge apologises in court

TONY Blair mounted a passionate defence of his government’s record on child care yesterday, as his children’s minister was forced to apologise in court for labelling a victim of child sex abuse "an extremely disturbed person".

Mr Blair was forced on to the offensive after Tory gibes that Margaret Hodge’s comments were typical of a government that "bullied" members of the public that stood in its way.

In a blistering Commons performance, Michael Howard, the Tory leader, said: "Doesn’t the Prime Minister think that it says something about his administration that even after the minister for children’s humiliating climb-down this week, he still thinks she is the best person for the job?"

He added: "He may care about vulnerable ministers. We care about vulnerable children."

In a statement read out at the High Court in London, Mrs Hodge said that she would like to apologise unreservedly for the comments she made about Demetrious Panton, who was abused while in a care home in the London borough of Islington, of which Hodge was council leader in the 1980s.

The minister also agreed to pay 10,000 to a children’s charity and foot the bill for Mr Panton’s legal costs.

The Prime Minister told MPs that Mrs Hodge was "the person who is best for the job, and I think she has answered the claims properly that have been made against her".

He accused Mr Howard of joining a "wholly unfair campaign" against the minister. But in bitter exchanges, in which Mr Howard appeared to get the better of Mr Blair, the Tory leader accused the government of "always bullying people who get in its way".

"Are you proud of this pattern of behaviour? Have you lost all sense of shame?" Mr Howard asked.

Outside the High Court, Mr Panton said: "I am here today victorious over a minister who made a damning remark about me and has had to withdraw that remark because there was absolutely no basis for it."

The libel row between Mr Panton and Mrs Hodge erupted after a decision by the BBC to read out the letter containing her remarks on radio.

Mrs Hodge had apologised to Mr Panton in writing last Friday, but in court yesterday, she apologised unreservedly for using the words "is an extremely disturbed person" with reference to him.

However, it appeared yesterday that the issue will continue to haunt Mrs Hodge. Speculation was rife that she will lose her job in the next government reshuffle.