Blair ruling the sleaziest ever government

Former Conservative Party leader Major, who lost the 1997 general election to Blair's Labour Party, made his comments after work and pensions secretary David Blunkett resigned last week amid a row over his private business dealings.

In an interview with the independent British television channel ITV, Major claimed that Blair's Labour had shown "hypocrisy" after having "dishonestly" accused his own government of sleaze.

"This government has not only had more of what loosely one might call 'sleaze' than the previous government -- or any previous government -- it actually has been much closer to the prime minister," Major said.