Lord Levy arrested in 'cash-for-honours' inquiry (friend of Blair)

[muriel_volestrangler]

Labour's chief fundraiser, Lord Levy, has been arrested by police investigating the 'cash-for-honours' saga.

A police investigation into the saga, which saw both Labour and the Tories accused of taking money in loan form rather than donations to avoid them being declared under the electoral rules, was expected to report back before the party conference season in the autumn.

However, today Scotland Yard confirmed a 61-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the investigation, which sources confirmed was Lord Levy.

No charges have yet been laid against him, but the high-profile arrest of Tony Blair's tennis partner and personal envoy to the Middle East will shake Downing Street.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/funding/story/0,,1818863,00.html

This could be big. There were stories yesterday of computers (government? Labour party? I'm not sure) being forensically searched for deleted emails - I'll see if I can find that.

[Pert_UK]

1. It would be a cruel man who laughed at this.....

HAAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHHAHAHAAHAHAAAAHAAAAA!

Twats, the lot of them. And corrupt twats, to boot....

:evilgrin:

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Pert, I haven't seen you around for ages!

Yes, impossible not to laugh - Nick Robinson on Radio 4 said that the people in Downing St who are usually so quick to supply unattributable briefings aren't even answering their phones. As Alex Salmond pointed out, Lord Levy can't put forward people for honours himself - only Blair, or the civil servants (and Levey has nothing to do with civil servants) can ...

[Pert_UK]

9. I've been a bit busy.....

with work, getting married, moving house...just the usual!

Of course, having your boss move to sit right behind you may also curtail one's internet activities!

But, yes, you're right.....Blair has always insisted that Lord Levy has nothing to do with peerages. So how come he's ringing Sir Gulam Noon about his "declaration" form within a day of it arriving in Downing St? Levy shouldn't have even known about the form, let alone had access to it or be advising on it....

I smell something fishy - and I'm not talking about the contents of Baldrick's apple crumble!

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. Congraulations!

The story keeps going: Levy interviewed for a second day.

[T_i_B]

3. Just gets better and better for Labour doesn't it?

:eyes:

Anyway, we'll see how this pans out in due course.

[IChing]

4. Close aide of Blair arrested in 'cash for titles' row

London - Lord Levy, the chief fund raiser for Britain's ruling Labour Party and key ally of Prime Minister Tony Blair, has been arrested in connection with an alleged corruption scandal, Scotland Yard said Wednesday.

The 62-year-old, silver-haired businessman who is also Blair's special Middle East envoy, was being questioned in connection with a 'cash for honours' scandal that rocked the government earlier this year.

The allegations focus on secret loans given to the Labour Party by top businessmen, who were allegedly offered peerages and other honorary titles in return.

Levy, a close friend and tennis partner of Blair, was one of the key figures in the securing of multi-million pound loans to the party last year.

Police investigating the scandal stressed Wednesday that Levy had not been charged. But political commentators said his arrest was 'deeply damaging' to Blair.

>>>>snip

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/uk/article_1180301.php/Close_aide_of_Blair_arrested_in_cash_for_titles_row__Roundup_

[Xipe Totec]

5. What title was he offering?

Was it the Lion and Poodle, or the Blair Double Cross?

[Benhurst]

6. Tony, Tony, Tony. You are such a corrupt little turd.

Why not quit embarrassing your nation and take the place you sold your soul for on the board of the Carlyle Group?

[acmavm]

7. You know, these political prostitutes are giving your everyday

street corner hookers a bad name.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. 'Inevitable' that Blair will be interviewed by police

Honours scandal reaches door of Downing Street

The cash for peerages scandal paralysing Labour moved perilously close to Tony Blair's door when the Metropolitan police yesterday arrested Lord Levy, Mr Blair's personal party fundraiser, Middle East envoy and personal confidant.

The news No 10 has been privately dreading for months came after the police spent all day interviewing Lord Levy at a north London police station before releasing him on bail without charge.

It is understood that at least three senior Downing Street officials have also been interviewed by the police, but not under caution. Since Mr Blair has himself said the buck stops with him over party fundraising, Downing Street seems to accept that it is inevitable detectives will now interview the prime minister too.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1819246,00.html