Continue cash-for-honours investigation - Lib Dems

8.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 27th Sep 2007

Cambridge MP and Lib Dem Solicitor General, David Howarth, has called for proper investigation of the cash-for-honours case.

David, who is a fellow of Law at Clare College, Cambridge, has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions to ask why the investigation did not look at whether receipt of donations to the Labour party had induced party officials to try to procure honours for their donors.

Instead the investigation focused on whether an agreement was made between the donor and the Labour party fundraiser, Lord Levy, to provide honours in return for donations. The investigation ignored the fact that even without a prior agreement with the donor, Lord Levy could still have attempted to procure honours for some donors.

David said:

"Just because no prior arrangement was made to exchange gifts for honours, this does not guarantee that Labour party officials did not then try to procure honours for these donors. Why did the Director of Public Prosecutions not continue the investigation?

David Howarth MP

"Why has advice on this matter not been made public? Lord Goldsmith assured MPs earlier this year that if there was no prosecution any advice from independent counsel would be made available to the public. This information should be available to the public."