Howard questioned in honours probe
Michael Howard said he was under "no suspicion" of any wrongdoing
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Tuesday, 24, Oct 2006 08:34
Former Conservative leader Michael Howard has been questioned by police as part of the so-called cash-for-honours investigation.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Howard revealed that he had been questioned by Scotland Yard, but stressed that police had emphasised that he was "not under suspicion of having committed any criminal offence".
Political commentators are now speculating that it is becoming increasingly likely that prime minister Tony Blair will be interviewed by police as part of their investigation into whether Britain's main parties broke a 1925 act of parliament banning the sale of honours.
The criminal investigation began after it emerged that, ahead of last year's election, the Labour party received £4.5 million in undisclosed loans from four businessmen, who were subsequently nominated for peerages.
The inquiry was subsequently extended after it was alleged that loans had been made on a similar basis to the Conservative party.
A number of people have so far been questioned by police as part of the probe and three arrests have been made.
Labour's chief fundraiser and close friend of the prime minister Lord Levy, biotechnology entrepreneur Sir Christopher Evans and headteacher Des Smith, a former government advisor who helped find wealthy supporters for Labour's flagship specialist schools programme, were all arrested and released on bail earlier this year.
All three deny wrongdoing.
Commenting after being questioned by police, former Tory leader Mr Howard said: "In response to a request from the police, I agreed to be interviewed by them in connection with their inquiries into nominations for peerages.
"The police emphasised that they wanted to interview me as a witness and that I was not under suspicion of having committed any criminal offence.
"The interview was not conducted under caution. It took place this morning at my home in London," added the MP for Folkestone and Hythe.
The cash-for-honours scandal has prompted calls for the funding system for political parties to be reformed.
Last week former civil servant Sir Hayden Phillips published an interim report as part of a government-commissioned review on the financing of political parties. A full report is expected to be published in December, when recommendations for reform will be made.