Smith mulled suicide after cash-for-honours arrest

LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) Des Smith, a former government adviser on schools, contemplated killing himself after being arrested in a police probe into political party funding, the News of the World said today.

Smith, a teacher and former adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair's flagship schools programme, the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, told the tabloid he felt he had been deserted by the premier.

''I was literally hung out to dry by Tony Blair and his government and all of his associates and ministers,'' Smith told the paper. ''They didn't even wait to see if there was any evidence against me before cutting me off.'' Smith is alleged to have told an undercover journalist that businessmen could get a state honour by sponsoring the so-called City Academies, sparking a police investigation which has rocked the Labour Party and damaged Blair's image.

''After my arrest, Blair and his government did nothing to help me or my family. He sat by and said nothing, like the shallow, fair-weather friend he is. They knew I wasn't involved and now the world knows,'' Smith was quoted as saying.

''I wanted to die. I thought about it many times but didn't have the courage,'' he said.

Smith was first arrested in April 2006, but prosecutors said in early February they did not have enough evidence to charge him.

Blair has been questioned twice as a witness in the police probe, the first time a serving prime minister has been quizzed in a criminal investigation.

Blair's chief fundraiser Lord Levy has been arrested three times during the inquiry and top Downing Street aides have been questioned under caution by the police.

Levy was arrested and questioned by police in July 2006, again in September 2006 and for a third time in January this year, the last time on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

All those questioned have denied any wrongdoing and no one has yet been charged by the police.

REUTERS MIR KP1656