Sorry, we are not sorry: Smith refuses to apologise for Greengate

The divisions in the cabinet, police and House of commons are not apparent over the arrest of Shadow Immigration Secretary, Damian Green. The Financial Times is reporting on the role of the speaker and action police chief moving into focus because of the matter.

Meanwhile the newspaper has said that Jacqui Smith the home secretary yesterday denied endorsing the methods used by the police.

The row over the arrest of Damian Green, shadow immigration secretary, has put the actions of the Commons Speaker, the acting Metropolitan police commissioner and ministers in the spotlight.

The newspaper quoted Harriet Harman, leader of the House, saying that the case “raised serious constitutional questions that needed to be addressed”.

Ms Harman pledged to hold an inquiry after the investigation was complete.

“MPs should be able to get on with their job without interference of the law,” she said.

Green’s arrest

Police told the BBC that Mr Green was held on suspicion of "conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office". Media reports suggest that the politician was picked up for receiving leaked documents.

The MP denied any wrongdoing and said "opposition politicians have a duty to hold the government to account" and that he would "continue to do so".

He was questioned, but has not been charged and was bailed until February.

Mr Green's arrest is believed to be connected to the arrest of a man suspected of being a Home Office whistleblower, the Telegraph said in a report.

Speaking to reporters including those from the BBC, outside the House of Commons, Mr Green said: "I was astonished to have spent more than nine hours today under arrest for doing my job.

"I emphatically deny I have done anything wrong. I have many times made public information that the government wanted to keep secret - information that the public has a right to know.

"In a democracy, opposition politicians have a duty to hold the government to account. I was elected to the House of Commons precisely to do that and I certainly intend to continue doing so."

Political fallout

The fallout of all this could be severe, especially for two rival politicians. Jacqui Smith, the Home secretary and Michael Martin, the speaker of the House of Commons.

Newspaper reports suggest that the acting commissioner of police Sir Paul Stephenson’s career too could be damaged.

"Ms Smith's claim not to know that Tory MP was under investigation has been
directly challenged," the Times newspaper said in a report.

The Daily Mail reported that Sir Paul Stephenson is considering withdrawing his application for the top job in the wake of mounting criticism.

In the Telegraph, the Labour MP and former Foreign Office minister Denis MacShane criticises Martin for allowing the raid on Green's parliamentary offices. "If the speaker has doubts," MacShane says, "he should consult Privy Counsellors rather than take the decision on his own."

Janet Daley writes in the Telegraph, under the headline Arresting MPs and nationalising banks happen in dictatorships that "the object of the exercise seems to have been intimidation and the flaunting of power".

However, the justice secretary, Jack Straw, denies that the UK is degenerating into a "police state" because ministers were not directing the police operations in the report.