January 20, 2007	Saturday	Zilhaj 29, 1427

LONDON, Jan 19: Ruth Turner, Director of Government Relations was arrested in the cash-for-honours probe on Friday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and over alleged honours offences.

The Labour government as well as the Tory party are under investigation on suspicion that both had offered peerages in return for secret loans to their respective parties.

In December last year Tony Blair became the first serving Prime Minister to be interviewed by police undertaking a criminal inquiry into the cash-for-peerage case when detectives visited him in Downing Street in mid-December

The inquiry began in March after the House of Lords rejected nominations for four millionaire backers - Chai Patel, Sir Gulam Noon, Sir David Garrard and Barry Townsley - whose names were put forward by the Prime Minister for peerages.

Ms Turner, a senior adviser of Prime Minister Tony Blair was arrested at her home in London this morning. She was questioned at a London police station and bailed to return pending further inquiries.

The arrest brings the cash for honours inquiry to the heart of Downing Street. The senior Labour party figure is one of four directors inside Downing Street and has regular contact with the Prime Minister.

Ms Turner was also questioned under the 1925 Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act, following allegations that peerages were offered in return for secret loans.

So far, 90 people have been questioned by the Yates team, including Mr Blair late last month, and four arrested.

Downing Street would not say whether Ms Turner would continue in her role while on bail.

Under British law a charge of perverting the course of justice can be brought if a person tries to interfere with an investigation that might bring criminal proceedings.

Should a charge of this sort be made it goes well beyond the initial probe of the inquiry and would likely bring the whole issue into a new vein, with a suggestion that there may have been a covering of tracks by those close to the Prime Minister

Usually, Ms Turner’s job involves liaising between No 10 and the Labour Party and deals with fundraising.

She was previously interviewed by police on Sept 29 when she is believed to have been questioned about e-mails and documents relating to the inquiry.