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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Labour anger over honours arrest | Labour anger over honours arrest |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Senior Labour politicians have questioned police tactics in arresting a senior aide to Tony Blair over the "cash-for-honours" affair. | Senior Labour politicians have questioned police tactics in arresting a senior aide to Tony Blair over the "cash-for-honours" affair. |
| Downing Street official Ruth Turner was arrested at 0630 GMT on Friday and questioned on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. | Downing Street official Ruth Turner was arrested at 0630 GMT on Friday and questioned on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. |
| She was later released on police bail. She has denied any wrongdoing. | She was later released on police bail. She has denied any wrongdoing. |
| Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said she was "surprised" at the arrest, which David Blunkett branded "theatre". | Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said she was "surprised" at the arrest, which David Blunkett branded "theatre". |
| Appearing on BBC Radio Four's Any Questions, Ms Jowell said she was "slightly bewildered" as to why Ms Turner was arrested early in the morning by four policemen knocking on her door, and then released without charge. | Appearing on BBC Radio Four's Any Questions, Ms Jowell said she was "slightly bewildered" as to why Ms Turner was arrested early in the morning by four policemen knocking on her door, and then released without charge. |
| "She has fully cooperated and she is a person of utter decency and conscientiousness and I am surprised," she said. | "She has fully cooperated and she is a person of utter decency and conscientiousness and I am surprised," she said. |
| Former Home Secretary David Blunkett said he wanted "thoroughness, not theatre". | Former Home Secretary David Blunkett said he wanted "thoroughness, not theatre". |
| Ms Turner was not likely to abscond and her arrest had been carried out "in a way that was known to be likely to get the sort of publicity it got", he added. | Ms Turner was not likely to abscond and her arrest had been carried out "in a way that was known to be likely to get the sort of publicity it got", he added. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The drip-drip [of details of the investigation] is corrosive and is harming trust and understanding. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The drip-drip [of details of the investigation] is corrosive and is harming trust and understanding. |
| "The drip-drip we are seeing now also makes it more difficult for a fair judgement in the end." | "The drip-drip we are seeing now also makes it more difficult for a fair judgement in the end." |
| Tony Blair has given Ruth Turner his full backing - he could do no other BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full Q&A: Honours probe Analysis: Blair impact | Tony Blair has given Ruth Turner his full backing - he could do no other BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full Q&A: Honours probe Analysis: Blair impact |
| Labour peer Helena Kennedy said she was concerned about the impact the row was having on public trust and it would be some time before if was known if it would lead to any kind of prosecution. | |
| It made people feel that "somehow money plays too bigger part in politics", she said. | |
| "And there's a stench around money and patronage, and that is what has to be removed from the political fray," Baroness Kennedy added. | |
| Fellow Labour peer Lord Puttnam, who is a friend of Ms Turner's, told BBC Radio Five Live he thought her arrest was "ludicrous". | |
| Mr Blair gave Ms Turner, who as director of government relations is one of his closest aides, his full backing. | Mr Blair gave Ms Turner, who as director of government relations is one of his closest aides, his full backing. |
| "Ruth is a person of the highest integrity for whom I have great regard and I continue to have complete confidence in her," he said. | "Ruth is a person of the highest integrity for whom I have great regard and I continue to have complete confidence in her," he said. |
| Ms Turner said in a statement released by 10 Downing Street: "I absolutely refute any allegations of wrongdoing of any nature whatsoever." | Ms Turner said in a statement released by 10 Downing Street: "I absolutely refute any allegations of wrongdoing of any nature whatsoever." |
| No-one charged | No-one charged |
| The Metropolitan Police inquiry into claims people gave political donations in exchange for peerages began after it emerged that a number of large secret loans had been made to the Labour Party before the 2005 general election, and that some of those lenders had subsequently been nominated for peerages. | The Metropolitan Police inquiry into claims people gave political donations in exchange for peerages began after it emerged that a number of large secret loans had been made to the Labour Party before the 2005 general election, and that some of those lenders had subsequently been nominated for peerages. |
| The investigation later widened to cover the other main parties. | The investigation later widened to cover the other main parties. |
| The police team investigating have so far spoken to about 90 people including Mr Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard. All deny wrongdoing. | The police team investigating have so far spoken to about 90 people including Mr Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard. All deny wrongdoing. |
| Ms Turner was first questioned by police in September. | Ms Turner was first questioned by police in September. |
| Three other people had been arrested before Friday - Lord Levy, the Labour Party's chief fundraiser, Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans and head teacher Des Smith, who was involved in the government's City Academy programme. | Three other people had been arrested before Friday - Lord Levy, the Labour Party's chief fundraiser, Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans and head teacher Des Smith, who was involved in the government's City Academy programme. |
| No one has been charged. | No one has been charged. |