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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| No charges on 'cash for honours' | No charges on 'cash for honours' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| No-one is to face charges after the 16-month cash-for-honours investigation, the BBC understands. | No-one is to face charges after the 16-month cash-for-honours investigation, the BBC understands. |
| Four people were arrested - including two of Tony Blair's aides - during inquiries into whether honours were sold and whether a cover-up followed. | Four people were arrested - including two of Tony Blair's aides - during inquiries into whether honours were sold and whether a cover-up followed. |
| Police interviewed 136 people, including ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard. | Police interviewed 136 people, including ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard. |
| All denied wrongdoing, but friends of Mr Blair say the investigation helped weaken his authority. | All denied wrongdoing, but friends of Mr Blair say the investigation helped weaken his authority. |
| Serious allegations | Serious allegations |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson said that Scotland Yard is preparing to make a public defence of its officers. | BBC political editor Nick Robinson said that Scotland Yard is preparing to make a public defence of its officers. |
| They are bound to come under fierce criticism for dragging out their inquiries for so long yet failing to produce a result, he added. | They are bound to come under fierce criticism for dragging out their inquiries for so long yet failing to produce a result, he added. |
| Assistant Commissioner John Yates of the Metropolitan Police - who headed up the inquiry - has said from the outset his officers were simply doing their jobs by investigating serious allegations. | Assistant Commissioner John Yates of the Metropolitan Police - who headed up the inquiry - has said from the outset his officers were simply doing their jobs by investigating serious allegations. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service is set to announce its decision on Friday but has so far refused to comment. | The Crown Prosecution Service is set to announce its decision on Friday but has so far refused to comment. |
| Mr Blair's chief fundraiser Lord Levy, his director of government relations Ruth Turner and Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans were all arrested as part of the inquiry. | Mr Blair's chief fundraiser Lord Levy, his director of government relations Ruth Turner and Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans were all arrested as part of the inquiry. |
| Political first | Political first |
| Police spent more than a year investigating whether people were nominated for peerages in return for donations to political parties. | Police spent more than a year investigating whether people were nominated for peerages in return for donations to political parties. |
| They initially handed their file to the Crown Prosecution Service in April, but were asked to make further inquiries. | They initially handed their file to the Crown Prosecution Service in April, but were asked to make further inquiries. |
| Mr Blair was questioned three times by police as a potential witness before he left Downing Street. | Mr Blair was questioned three times by police as a potential witness before he left Downing Street. |
| He was the first prime minister to be interviewed by police in the course of a criminal inquiry. | He was the first prime minister to be interviewed by police in the course of a criminal inquiry. |
| Scottish National Party MP Angus MacNeil, who made the original complaint to Scotland Yard, told BBC Two's Newsnight the outcome of the investigation was "quite extraordinary". | |
| 'Wild goose chase' | |
| He said: "We've had an investigation going on for the past 16 months, there have been 6,300 documents at the end of that given by the Yard to the Crown Prosecution Service. | |
| "The Yard liaised with the CPS through all this, and now it seems the CPS are trying to tell us it's all a wild goose chase." | |
| Labour MP and former minister Denis MacShane, who has long been critical of the inquiry, said: "This was always a politically instigated investigation, launched by the Scottish National Party". | |
| Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said there were still "many questions of political responsibility" to be answered. | |
| He added: "This whole affair has diminished politics and politicians in the eyes of the public. | |
| "Never again must there be any question of any link between preferment and financial support." |