'No Police State', Insists Straw Over MP's Arrest

Justice Secretary Jack Straw has admitted he was surprised by the arrest of a Tory MP, last week, over the alleged leak of sensitive Home Office information.

However, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has insisted the police should be allowed to complete their investigation without obstruction.

Mr Straw, speaking to the BBC, said the detention of Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green came as a surprise, but insisted, contrary to newspaper reports, the UK does not have a ‘police state’.

"Everybody who has been made aware of these unfolding events, of course, is very surprised by the nature of the raid,” he said.

"We don't have a police state here, despite many of the ridiculous newspaper headlines. A police state would be where ministers were directing an investigation," insisted Mr Straw.

However, Ms Smith has defended the police’s actions, and called for no interference in their investigation.

Detectives held 52-year-old Mr Green for eight hours, while his parliamentary offices were raided.

He was arrested on suspicion of "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office and aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office."

The MP denies any wrong doing.

Ms Smith said: "This started as an investigation of a systematic series of leaks from a department that deals with some of the most sensitive and confidential information in government.

"Police should have operational independence. They should be able to pursue those investigations in the way in which their professional judgement suggests," said the Home Secretary.

She added: "Any police investigation that involves a senior political figure or elected representative is highly sensitive and decisions need to be taken very carefully about it."

Meanwhile, Commons Speaker Michael Martin has come under pressure from Tories, demanding to know why he sanctioned the swoop on Mr Green’s Westminster offices.

The Speaker’s office has said he will address MPs on Wednesday.

(PR/KMcA)