Failed cash-for-honours inquiry ran up £1.4m bill

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Scotland Yard ran up the bill during a 16-month investigation which blighted the final stages of Tony Blair's premiership but resulted in no charges.

The figure, released under freedom of information laws, is far higher than had been expected.

Prosecution sources blamed the increase on aides of Mr Blair who, they claimed, caused unnecessary delays by trying to obstruct the police investigation.

The Crown Prosecution Service disclosed last month that it had spent £122,000 on advice from independent counsel before deciding to drop the case.

Staff costs made up £1,304,549 of the total £1,396,091 bill. The Met refused to break down the remaining £91,542.

Assistant Commissioner John Yates, who led the inquiry, was later asked by a committee of MPs: "Have you discovered that there is a trade in peerages?"

But after a long pause he simply replied: "I think I have done my job."