Blair to stay on to see off 'honours' affair

Published on Saturday 21 April 2007 01:00

TONY Blair will on stay longer at Number 10 as he fights to clear his name over cash-for-honours claims, The Scotsman has learned.

A government source revealed that the Prime Minister would not want to bow out while sleaze allegations were still outstanding after police yesterday handed their long-awaited dossier of evidence on the matter to prosecutors.

In a surprise move that threatens to cast a shadow over the knife-edge Holyrood elections, Scotland Yard submitted a 216-page file to the Crown Prosecution Service.

A Labour source told The Scotsman that the widely expected departure date just after the 3 May elections now looked increasingly unlikely.

"There's no way Tony will want to go before a decision is taken either way as to whether to press charges. He can't go until this is done and dusted."

Though he was not treated as a suspect or interviewed under caution, Mr Blair has become the first serving prime minister to be quizzed by police.

Ruth Turner, the head of government relations at Number 10 and his gatekeeper, was also arrested in a dawn raid at her London home in connection with alleged offences under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 and also on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. She remains on police bail, along with Lord Levy, Mr Blair's chief fundraiser, and Sir Christopher Evans, the bioscience entreprenuer and Labour donor. All deny wrongdoing.

Lord Levy and Ms Turner were also questioned in relation to claims of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The police said: "To date 136 people have been interviewed as either witnesses or suspects. It is now a matter for the CPS to consider the evidence, advise us on whether any further enquiries are necessary and whether any charges should be brought."

Angus MacNeil, the SNP MP who triggered the inquiry, congratulated police for their thoroughness and for resisting "political pressure".

The investig-ation was launched after Labour disclosed it received 14 million in loans from 12 supporters.