Sun 'told not to publish' honours email
Monday, 05 Mar 2007 10:16
The investigation into the honours allegations is ongoing
The Sun newspaper has been told not to publish an emailed memo which it claims sheds new light on the ongoing cash-for-honours probe.
Such a move, said to have been made by the attorney general last night, comes just hours after the BBC said it was similarly asked not to report a new piece of information about the inquiry.
According to the tabloid, a lawyer representing Lord Goldsmith contacted editors last night and "demanded assurances we would not print the explosive contents of an email".
The Sun's political editor, George Pascoe-Watson, and its Whitehall editor, David Wooding, writing in the paper today, said the email was sent between two Downing Street aides.
"Attorney general Lord Goldsmith last night authorised a government lawyer to contact us and seek a guarantee the information would not be made public," the Sun's report says.
"The email was at the centre of a BBC report blocked by high court order on Friday."
It emerged over the weekend that Lord Goldsmith obtained an injunction from the royal courts of justice to prevent a new piece of information being revealed.
Lord Goldsmith's office claimed the decision was made "completely independently of government" and in cooperation with the Metropolitan police, who are investigating alleged breaches of honours laws.
The investigation centres on allegations that peerages have been offered to political donors in return for cash loans used to fund campaigns during the 2005 general election.
Four people have been arrested so far as part of the Met's probe, namely Tony Blair's personal fundraiser Lord Levy and aide Ruth Turner, Labour donor Sir Christopher Evans and headteacher Des Smith.
The prime minister himself has been interviewed by police as a witness, not under caution, twice in relation to the affair.
No-one has been charged and all those implicated in the affair have strenuously denied any wrongdoing.