Green's arrest 'a police matter'

2:08pm Friday 28th November 2008

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Gordon Brown insisted ministers were not told in advance by police that they were going to arrest Tory frontbencher Damian Green over leaked information from the Home Office.

Conservative leader David Cameron said ministers and police had serious questions to answer over the treatment of the shadow immigration minister who was held for nine hours after being arrested at his Kent home.

However the Prime Minister said it was purely a police matter and that ministers had not been involved.

"I had no prior knowledge, the Home Secretary had no prior knowledge, I know of no other minister who had any prior knowledge," he told Sky News. "I knew about it only after it had happened when I was told by the Permanent Secretary to the Civil Service that this had happened.

"As I said to him, this is a matter for the police, they are carrying out an investigation. It is not a matter for Government ministers. The independence of the police is what should be upheld. I hope that everybody can feel able to uphold both the independence of the police and the statement that no minister was involved."

Mr Cameron raised concerns that at least nine counter-terrorism officers had been deployed to detain Mr Green and search his house and Commons office.

"The police have to answer questions," he said. "Frankly, Government ministers have got questions to answer as well."

Mr Green, 52, MP for Ashford, expressed fury after he was questioned in connection with a series of confidential Home Office papers which have found their way into the public domain recently.

He was released on unconditional bail shortly before midnight without charge, but must return to face further questioning in February.

Speaking to reporters outside the House of Commons, he said: "I was astonished to have spent more than nine hours under arrest for doing my job. I emphatically deny I have done anything wrong."