Civil service leader hits out at police inquiry into cash-for-honours row

Published on Friday 16 November 2007 00:55

BRITAIN'S most senior civil servant has criticised the police decision to proceed with the cash-for-honours inquiry, which ended after 19 months without any prosecutions being brought.

Sir Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, said the high-profile inquiry had distracted Tony Blair in the last months of his premiership and had also been taxing for Downing Street staff.

Asked by MPs what lessons could be learned from the 1.43 million investigation, he said the question should be directed to the Metropolitan Police.

"I think the best place to think about this is right at the start and say 'actually, is this an investigation worth starting?'," he told the House of Commons Public Administration Committee.

Sir Gus, head of the civil service for the last two years of Mr Blair's premiership, also hit back at suggestions there was less than full co-operation with the inquiry, despite hints from police that figures in Downing Street had not been entirely helpful.

Meanwhile, Scotland Yard issued its own report defending the inquiry, insisting that the "most significant" evidence had not been made public.

It is believed this was a reference to a list of Labour lenders and diary entries written by Sir Christopher Evans, the biotech entrepreneur. The report also revealed that police considered questioning Mr Blair as a suspect, rather than just a witness, but were warned this would force his resignation.

However, police accepted the Crown Prosecution Service's decision not to bring charges.