Surprise over arrest of Kent MP

The arrest of Conservative immigration spokesman, Damian Green, has been met with surprise in his Kent constituency.

The MP for Ashford has denied doing anything illegal, after being questioned over Home Office leaks.

Constituency agent Gordon Williams said: "I'm absolutely astonished. He's telling information that clearly the government doesn't want us to know."

Former Tory leader and Folkestone MP Michael Howard said the arrest must have been sanctioned by the government.

Freed on bail

"Are we to believe that nobody in the Home Office was told that the junior civil servant had been arrested, that the investigations by the police were continuing, that they were beginning to focus on a member of the shadow team?

"There are so many questions that really need to be answered about all this," Mr Howard told BBC South East.

The Home Office has said ministers were not informed until after the arrest.

Mr Green was arrested on Thursday, held for nine hours and had his two homes and offices searched by police investigating alleged leaks from the Home Office.

He was not charged with any offence but was released on bail until February, when he could face further questioning.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Damian Green's website
Home Office
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites