Advice on honours row ‘to be published’
Any advice leading to a decision not to press charges in the cash-for-honours police investigation will be made public, the attorney general has pledged.
Lord Goldsmith has been criticised for refusing to stand back from the Scotland Yard probe, amid concerns that his close relationship with the prime minister – who has been questioned twice by police – represents a conflict of interest.
These fears continue despite his assertion last year that he will appoint an independent QC to advise him on whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) should press charges.
But giving evidence to the constitutional affairs select committee yesterday, Lord Goldsmith said he would “absolutely resist” the suggestions that he might be distracted from his legal obligations because of a duty to the Labour party or Tony Blair.
“My duty is to the law and not to party politics and party loyalties,” he told MPs.
He confirmed that if asked for his advice on the cash-for-honours probe – the attorney general is generally consulted in corruption probes – he would ask for independent advice.
“In the event that there was no prosecution I would make public that advice. It would be transparent. People would know what the reasons were and why,” he said, adding it would be the “whole of that advice that relates to the decision not to prosecute”.
Opposition MPs on the committee welcomed the attorney general’s comments, which came the day after the CPS revealed it would not be bringing charges against one of four people arrested so far in the cash-for-honours probe.
Head teacher Des Smith, an advisor on the city academies programme, was the first person to be arrested by police investigating the sale of honours, although he denied any wrongdoing. On Tuesday the CPS said there was “insufficient evidence” to bring charges.
Last weekend, constitutional affairs minister Harriet Harman argued that all the attorney general’s advice to government should be made public, saying the rows over the cash-for-honours affair and the legality of the war in Iraq had undermined confidence in his role.
However, yesterday Lord Goldsmith said he “did not agree” with Ms Harman – who is a candidate for the Labour deputy leadership – and in any case, believed it was up to the prime minister of to the day to make this decision.
