Housekeeper may speak out 'to correct untruths'

Baroness Scotland's former housekeeper was tonight weighing up whether to break her silence on their dealings.

Loloahi Tapui - who was employed by the Attorney General despite having no right to work in the UK - is eager to correct "untruths" told about her, according to her spokesman.

Publicity guru Max Clifford has spent much of the day in talks with the 27-year-old Tongan and her Serbian-born husband, solicitor Alexander Zivancevic, 40.

He said the pair approached him for "advice and guidance" after unflattering media reports about their marriage.

Mr Clifford said: "Everyone wants to know if they're going to go public but they haven't made up their minds.

"They've made it very clear lots of things have been said that aren't true. We just have to wait and see what they decide."

Ms Tapui and Mr Zivancevic were arrested by UK Border Agency officers in Chiswick, south west London, on Wednesday.

They were questioned over alleged immigration offences and released on bail until October, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

Mr Clifford said: "The whole thing has been very upsetting for Lolo and for Alex. There have been some pretty dreadful things written about their relationship."

He said he did not know details of how Ms Tapui came to be working for the Attorney General when she had no legal right to do so, adding: "There are only three people that do know - Baroness Scotland and Lolo and Alex."

When asked if Ms Tapui had been in contact with her former employer since the scandal broke, Mr Clifford replied: "I don't know. What I do know is that she speaks very highly of Baroness Scotland and seems to be very fond of her."

Earlier this week, Lady Scotland was fined £5,000 for employing a housekeeper with no right to work in the UK.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has offered the peer strong support, despite the protest resignation of her parliamentary aide, Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford - who insisted she should step down as a matter of principle.