Honours evidence 'not revealed'

Mr Blair was questioned three times in the affair

The "most significant" evidence uncovered in the cash-for-honours inquiry by the Met police has not been made public, a report says.

The report rejects claims the police team leaked details and defends the probe as "focused and proportionate".

It includes details such as detectives requesting a "forensic image" of the Downing Street computer system.

No charges were brought after the £1.4m inquiry into whether money was given to parties in return for peerages.

The report, written by one of the senior investigators, was requested by the Metropolitan Police Authority at the conclusion of the 19-month long inquiry.

It will be presented to the MPA next week.

The most significant evidence obtained by the investigation has never appeared in the public domain Honours probe report

It states: "The Metropolitan Police Service remains very strongly of the view that, despite some media comment to the contrary, no material was leaked to the press from within the investigative team.

"This view is further confirmed by the fact that the most significant evidence obtained by the investigation has never appeared in the public domain."

Key decisions

There has been criticism of the way police handled arrests during the investigation.

The officer in charge, Assistant Commissioner John Yates, was questioned by MPs last month and was asked if it had been necessary to beat down the door of Downing Street aide Ruth Turner in a "6am raid".

But the report says: "Particular measures were put in place to ensure that the arrests were effected as efficiently as possible and in such a manner as to minimise any individual embarrassment."

Mr Yates defended his handling of the inquiry to MPs

It discloses details of the investigation, including the fact that police consulted prosecutors on key decisions - such as interviewing the then-prime minister Tony Blair three times, and a decision to request a "forensic image of the Number 10 computer server".

Commission criticised

It also criticises the Electoral Commission for failing to provide "robust oversight" of the legal definition of a commercial loan.

Part of the investigation was looking at whether loans given to parties had breached the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) because they were not on "commercial terms".

But the report confirms that the lack of a definition for "commercial" caused "investigative difficulties".

More than 130 people were interviewed during the investigation and four people were arrested - all involved in the inquiry denied any wrongdoing.

Among those questioned by officers included Mr Blair and former Tory leader Michael Howard.

The inquiry was later widened from its original remit to look into any attempt to pervert the course of justice.

The Crown Prosecution Service said in July that there was "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against any individual for any offence".

Some Labour MPs have criticised the police decision to put so much time and effort into the inquiry, prompted by a complaint from an SNP MP, which they saw as a "political vendetta".