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| Version 12 | Version 13 |
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| Blair 'pleased' at honours ruling | Blair 'pleased' at honours ruling |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has said he is "very pleased" that the cash-for-honours inquiry is over, saying those involved had been through a "traumatic time". | Tony Blair has said he is "very pleased" that the cash-for-honours inquiry is over, saying those involved had been through a "traumatic time". |
| The former PM was responding to the decision not to bring any charges following a 16-month police inquiry. | The former PM was responding to the decision not to bring any charges following a 16-month police inquiry. |
| Assistant Commissioner John Yates said he went where the evidence took him and it would not have taken as long if cover-up allegations had not been made. | Assistant Commissioner John Yates said he went where the evidence took him and it would not have taken as long if cover-up allegations had not been made. |
| Mr Blair said the inquiry ended "as I always expected it would". | Mr Blair said the inquiry ended "as I always expected it would". |
| Police interviewed 136 people, including Mr Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard, during the probe into claims that people were nominated for peerages in return for political loans. It followed a complaint from the Scottish Nationalist MP Angus MacNeil. | Police interviewed 136 people, including Mr Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard, during the probe into claims that people were nominated for peerages in return for political loans. It followed a complaint from the Scottish Nationalist MP Angus MacNeil. |
| CPS DECISION IN FULL Cash-for-honours case [55.4 KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | CPS DECISION IN FULL Cash-for-honours case [55.4 KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| Mr Blair said: "Those involved have been through a terrible, even traumatic time. Much of what has been written and said about them has been deeply unfair, and I am very pleased for all of them that it is now over." | Mr Blair said: "Those involved have been through a terrible, even traumatic time. Much of what has been written and said about them has been deeply unfair, and I am very pleased for all of them that it is now over." |
| "I want to make it clear that I level no criticism at the police. They were put in an invidious position by the SNP complaint and had a very difficult task to perform. " | "I want to make it clear that I level no criticism at the police. They were put in an invidious position by the SNP complaint and had a very difficult task to perform. " |
| Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has launched an internal investigation into the £1m cost and outcome of the honours probe. | Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has launched an internal investigation into the £1m cost and outcome of the honours probe. |
| Serious allegations | |
| Assistant Commissioner Yates defended the decision to pursue the "challenging case", saying it had not been made lightly. | |
| He added: "Some have been surprised about the intensity and length of the police investigation and I recognise that this has not been a comfortable time for any of those people who came under the investigative spotlight." | |
| But he stressed that despite the discomfort, the allegations were serious, adding: "It was absolutely proper therefore that, when appropriate, police used the full range of powers at their disposal to gather the available evidence or potential evidence." | But he stressed that despite the discomfort, the allegations were serious, adding: "It was absolutely proper therefore that, when appropriate, police used the full range of powers at their disposal to gather the available evidence or potential evidence." |
| Lord Levy said the news was a 'great relief' | |
| Earlier the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that no charges would be brought and, in an unusual move, released a document explaining its reasons. | Earlier the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that no charges would be brought and, in an unusual move, released a document explaining its reasons. |
| It says: "For a case to proceed, the prosecution must have a realistic prospect of being able to prove that the two people agreed that the gift, etc, was in exchange for an honour. | It says: "For a case to proceed, the prosecution must have a realistic prospect of being able to prove that the two people agreed that the gift, etc, was in exchange for an honour. |
| 'Delighted and relieved' | |
| "Such an agreement might be proved either by direct evidence, or by inferences that can be drawn from the circumstances of the case. | "Such an agreement might be proved either by direct evidence, or by inferences that can be drawn from the circumstances of the case. |
| "Such inferences must be so strong as to overwhelm any other, innocent, inferences that might be drawn from the same circumstances. | "Such inferences must be so strong as to overwhelm any other, innocent, inferences that might be drawn from the same circumstances. |
| "There is no direct evidence of any such agreement between any two people subject of this investigation." | "There is no direct evidence of any such agreement between any two people subject of this investigation." |
| Having considered all of the evidence in this case I have decided that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction Carmen DowdHead of the CPS Special Crime Division class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6911&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| Speaking after the CPS statement Labour's former chief fundraiser Lord Levy, one of four people arrested, said the decision was a "great relief" and thanked his family, friends and legal team for their support. | Speaking after the CPS statement Labour's former chief fundraiser Lord Levy, one of four people arrested, said the decision was a "great relief" and thanked his family, friends and legal team for their support. |
| But he said, while he did not want to comment on the police investigation, he had been "disappointed by constant leaks to media which have been misleading, factually inaccurate and personally damaging to me". | But he said, while he did not want to comment on the police investigation, he had been "disappointed by constant leaks to media which have been misleading, factually inaccurate and personally damaging to me". |
| Head of the CPS Special Crime Division Carmen Dowd paid tribute to the "diligence and professionalism" of the police officers involved but said there had been "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against any individual for any offence in relation to this matter". | Head of the CPS Special Crime Division Carmen Dowd paid tribute to the "diligence and professionalism" of the police officers involved but said there had been "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against any individual for any offence in relation to this matter". |
| 'Political vendetta' | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has already said police were right to investigate the "very serious allegations" but he hoped the CPS statement would bring an end to "months of speculation". | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has already said police were right to investigate the "very serious allegations" but he hoped the CPS statement would bring an end to "months of speculation". |
| But some Labour MPs have criticised the police decision to put so much time and effort into the inquiry, prompted by the SNP complaint, which they saw as a "political vendetta". | But some Labour MPs have criticised the police decision to put so much time and effort into the inquiry, prompted by the SNP complaint, which they saw as a "political vendetta". |
| Four people were arrested during the inquiry - Lord Levy, Mr Blair's director of government relations Ruth Turner, former head teacher Des Smith and Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans. | Four people were arrested during the inquiry - Lord Levy, Mr Blair's director of government relations Ruth Turner, former head teacher Des Smith and Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans. |
| Ms Turner said the CPS announcement was "an enormous relief" following a "very stressful time for me and my family". | Ms Turner said the CPS announcement was "an enormous relief" following a "very stressful time for me and my family". |
| She added: "I know that, however difficult for me personally, the police had an obligation to investigate these allegations thoroughly, and I co-operated with them fully. I am now looking forward to getting on with my life." | She added: "I know that, however difficult for me personally, the police had an obligation to investigate these allegations thoroughly, and I co-operated with them fully. I am now looking forward to getting on with my life." |
| Mr Blair, who was questioned three times as a potential witness, became the first sitting prime minister to be interviewed by police in the course of a criminal inquiry. | Mr Blair, who was questioned three times as a potential witness, became the first sitting prime minister to be interviewed by police in the course of a criminal inquiry. |