David Blunkett, the man who pioneered the UK government's ID cards proposals, has taken a job with a security company which works on Spain's ID card and could even be in the bidding for UK contracts.

However, Blunkett is officially forbidden from working on government contracts for two years after leaving government. This period ends in November.

Security firm Entrust, which works on Spain's ID card, has also hired Andrew Pinder - the UK government's former e-Envoy - who is now a vice president of global solutions.

Entrust refused to comment, referring all questions to the US.

Blunkett resigned as Home Secretary when it emerged that a visa application made by his lover's nanny had been fast tracked. The Budd Inquiry said: "I believe that I have been able to establish a chain of events linking Mr Blunkett to the change in the decision on Ms Casalme's application for ILR." A year later he resigned as Work and Pensions minister because he forgot to tell the Register of Members' Interests that he had a directorship at DNA Bioscience. ®

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