Lord Levy, one of the key figures in the cash for honours saga, is to step down from his government role as Tony Blair's special envoy to the Middle East, No 10 confirmed last night.
The 61-year-old peer and Labour fund-raiser, nicknamed "Lord Cashpoint", will leave his official job on June 27 when the Prime Minister steps down. The move does not come as a surprise as his simultaneous departure with Mr Blair was expected given he was the PM's personal appointment. It is also likely Lord Levy will relinquish his fund-raising role.
Gordon Brown, the incoming premier, would have been loath to keep on anyone linked to such a high-profile controversy and one which has yet to run its course.
Last night, a Downing St spokesman said Mr Blair thanked Lord Levy for his contribution as personal envoy to the troubled region saying the Prime Minister believed the peer had done "an excellent job".
Earlier, Lord Levy made clear his departure had "always been anticipated and is not different to many other similar positions".
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