Jowell facing precariousfuture despite marital split

Tessa Jowell's political fut-ure remained precarious last night, in spite of separating from her husband who is embroiled in allegations that he received a bribe from Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister.

Labour MPs called for the culture secretary to be replaced as head of Labour's campaign for the local elections in London in May.

They fear that what is already expected to be a difficult test for Labour could turn into a rout if dominated by the affair.

But the Conservatives continued to hold back from attacking a female minister they consider to be popular.

Tony Blair, the prime minister, is determined to hang on to one of his closest political allies and expects Ms Jowell to bounce back today. She will appear in the Commons to answer questions about her department, but the occasion is unlikely to be a make-or-break moment.

Friends said Ms Jowell was devoted to her husband but felt betrayed particularly by the revelation that he had used his status as cabinet spouse and associate of the prime minister to try to gain approval to work as a tax lawyer in Dubai.

Members of the cabinet rallied round Ms Jowell yesterday denying that she had split from her husband after 27 years to save her polit-ical career or that Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's former communications director, had orchestrated the marriage break-up. David Miliband, the local government minister, said it was "grotesque" to suggest the separation was politically motivated. Hilary Benn, international development minister, said such a notion was "beneath contempt".

Yesterday The Observer reported that Mr Mills had bought and sold shares in a pub company at a time when his wife was responsible in part for a review of the licensing laws as public health minister. The holding was not recorded in Ms Jowell's entry in the register of MPs' interests.

Nigel Evans, a Tory backbencher, yesterday called for Ms Jowell to resign for failing in her responsibility to ask her husband about whether any of his financial affairs might cause an apparent conflict of interest with her ministerial role.

Mr Evans will demand an inquiry into whether Ms Jowell broke the disclosure rules governing the financial interests of MPs and their spouses but will give the culture secretary a chance to respond first to his demands for further details.

Frank Dobson, the former health secretary, called for Ms Jowell to be dropped as leader of the local election campaign in London. Kate Hoey, another former minister, also called for her to give up the role.