Blair in the clear over honours probe

Updated 23.15 Thu Jul 19 2007

Keywords: Lord Levy, Ruth Turner, Tony Blair

ITV News has learnt that there will be no charges pressed in the cash for honours investigation.

Sources say that Tony Blair, his advisor Ruth Turner and his chief fundraiser Lord Levy will not be prosecuted.

Tony Blair was questioned three times over the affair while his fundraiser Lord Levy and aide Ruth Turner were both arrested

The Metropolitan Police have been investigating since March last year whether political parties nominated people for honours that come with seats in parliament's unelected upper house, the House of Lords, in return for cash.

The inquiry was launched after allegations from Scottish National Party MP Angus MacNeil that four wealthy individuals had been nominated for peerages after lending Labour large sums of money.

Tony Blair was questioned three times over the affair while his fundraiser Lord Levy and aide Ruth Turner were both arrested and are currently on police bail.

Ms Turner was detained on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and Lordy Levy was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

A total of 136 people have been questioned over the course of the investigation, either as witnesses or suspects and 6,300 documents have been passed to prosecutors.

An official announcement is expected on Friday morning.