Police were right to quiz me in 'cash-for-honours' Probe: Blair
By Raza Mumtaz 'Pakistan Times' Executive Editor/UK Bureau Chief

LONDON (UK): British Prime Minister Tony Blair has insisted that it was no surprise that police interviewed him over the "cash-for-honours" allegations clouding his Labour Party government.

Blair became Thursday the first serving prime minister to have been questioned as part of a criminal inquiry in what critics said was an embarrassment for the British leader.

The two-hour interview came after police questioned Blair's entire cabinet and others top political figures, including opposition leaders, since launching their probe in March.

"This is a complaint that was made by the Scottish National Party against me personally," Blair said, while attending a summit of European Union leaders.

"And so it is not the slightest bit surprising or wrong that the police should come and want to talk to me," he said in his first comment on the issue since the police interview.

"The fact is that the particular issues concerned were not about honours given by me as prime minister for people for public service: on the contrary, they were given by me, nominated by me as party leader for party service in the way that other party leaders are entitled to do.

"That is the basic distinction that lies at the heart of this.

"It's perfectly natural that the police should come and talk to me."

Meanwhile, Gordon Brown, the finance minister and Blair's likely successor as prime minister, tried to distance himself from the controversy, hitting out at claims that he had wanted to give peerages to two close allies who have given cash to Labour.●