CPS has 'all evidence it needs' in honours case

CPS has 'all evidence it needs' in honours case

3.15pm update

Deborah Summers and agencies
Friday July 6, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

The Crown Prosecution Service said today it had "all the evidence we need to make a decision" on whether to bring charges in the cash-for-honours affair.

The CPS had asked Scotland Yard to conduct further inquiries after the original evidence file was handed over in April.

But a CPS spokeswoman insisted today: "We have all the evidence we need to make a decision. The review of the evidence is ongoing."

It emerged last week that Tony Blair had been questioned for a third time by police investigating whether peerages were awarded for party donations or loans.

However, is understood that the former prime minister was interviewed as a witness rather than as a suspect.

Scotland Yard said it was not prepared to discuss - or officially confirm - the meeting.

When police were asked to "undertake further inquiries" earlier last month, the CPS described the development as "a normal part of the review process", but refused to clarify what additional information was being sought.

"We often ask the police for further clarification of particular aspects of a case," a spokeswoman said at the time. "We can't go into specifics."

Altogether at least 136 people, including Mr Blair and former Michael Howard, the former Tory leader, have been questioned over the allegation that peerages were handed out in return for political donations.

The investigation began after it emerged that secret loans had been made to Labour before the 2005 general election, and that some lenders had subsequently been nominated for peerages. The inquiry was later widened to cover the other main parties.

In April, Scotland Yard passed a 216-page dossier to the Crown Prosecution Service recommending that prosecutors consider bringing charges against three central figures over allegations that honours had been offered in return for party loans or donations.

Detectives believed they had collected sufficient evidence for charges to be brought against Labour's chief fundraiser, Lord Levy, the former senior Downing Street aide Ruth Turner, and the biotech millionaire and donor to Labour, Sir Christopher Evans. All three deny any wrongdoing.

"It is now a matter for the CPS to consider the evidence [and] advise us on whether any further inquiries are necessary and whether any charges should be brought," said a spokesman at the time.

The three were arrested in connection with alleged offences under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. Lord Levy and Ms Turner have also been questioned in relation to a parallel inquiry concerning a possible conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

They remain on police bail.

Gordon Brown, the new prime minister, moved to distance himself from the affair on Tuesday by announcing that the government's legal officer will no longer have the power to direct prosecutors in individual cases.

The former attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, had sparked controversy by insisting he had a constitutional duty to be involved in deciding whether to charge colleagues.

However, the new incumbent, Lady Scotland, will play no role in determining the matter, Mr Brown said.