The Tories have made much of the so called political interference in police matters in the wake of the arrest of Damian Green. However, we have to remind ourselves that the Tories hardly set an example when they were in power.
Many people who "leaked" under the Tories were pursued and punished whilst other matters much more recently involving dawn raids on Labour officials were met with quiet jubilation from the Tories.
For more information, read Paul Walter's Liberal Burblings Blog.
4 comments:
Nich, I tend to agree that there is nothing inherently better about the Tories and their behavious in the past. However, I think it's worth mentioning that I can't remember any opposition MP ever being arrested for doing his job.
Additionally, I in the case of the dawn raids on Labour officials, I think you are referring to the 'Cash for honours" investigation. In that case, there was a suspicion that money had changed hands for titles. As I remember, we were all cheering on the police because we (or at least I) believed the allegation was true.
In this case, I have not heard any allegation that Mr Green offered an inducement to the mole to provide the information. Indeed, it would appear that the mole may have asked Mr Green for a job and was rebuffed.
In the case of Ruth Turner and the cases in the 1980s, it was civil servents who were arrested not MP's.
This, is an engineered event in the true sense of the word.
Information leaked, leaked information sent to press, public embarrassment for the ruling party.
Ruling party let leaks continue, call in police. Police to arrest MP involved, spark public debate.
Much outrage, Parliament being violated, confidentiality of MP's breached, blah blah.
Leader of House, Harriet Harmen then states on Sky news.
There were "very big constitutional principles" that needed to be safeguarded, Ms Harman added, including the rights of MPs to get on with their job without interference from the law.
And she said Speaker Michael Martin should look at how police are able to enter the Palace of Westminster once the investigation into Home Office leaks is concluded.
Next week expect to hear in Queens speech new laws to protect the 'rights' of MP's and to exclude them from laws that have been written for the rest of us.
In effect, to place MP's above the law, by law.
So that makes it all right then does it?
If you cannot see the basic principles of Parliamentary Privilege which we once went to war over then I am really really sorry for you.
God send us another Oliver Cromwell to sort the lot of you out.
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