British police have questioned Prime Minister Tony Blair for a second time in an investigation into political party funding that has cast a shadow over his final months in office.
Blair’s official spokesperson said on Thursday the prime minister had been questioned as a witness last Friday at his Downing Street office. When quizzed in December, he became the first serving leader to be questioned by police in a criminal investigation.
Police are investigating whether Labour and other parties promised Lordships — state honours that come with seats in the unelected upper house of Parliament — in return for loans.
”Last Friday the prime minister was briefly interviewed by police as a witness,” the spokesperson told reporters, saying the police had asked the meeting be kept confidential until now.
Labour Party politicians said they did not expect the inquiry to force Blair from office sooner than planned, given he has already promised to quit this year. However, they have said that could change if close allies are charged.
Police on Tuesday arrested Blair’s top fundraiser Lord Michael Levy for a second time in the 11-month probe into whether political parties offered state honours for cash.
This time he was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, two weeks after an aide in Blair’s office was arrested on the same grounds.
The spokesperson said Blair was not under caution during Friday’s interview, which lasted under an hour. He declined to disclose any details of the meeting.
”During the course of yesterday [Wednesday] afternoon, the police told us the requirement of confidentiality had been lifted,” the spokesman said. — Reuters