Shadow Immigration Minister Arrested

andrewb · 29-11-2008, 17:36

Damian Green the Conservative immigration minister was arrested for 9 hours when anti-terrorism police burst into his home and parliamentary office. His crime? Allegedly passing on information to the public which has leaked from the home office.

Information including:

A leaked e-mail from Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's private secretary in July 2007 showed she had chosen not to publicise the fact that licences had been granted to security guards who were illegal immigrants.
A memo to Home Office minister Liam Byrne was leaked to reveal in February this year that an illegal immigrant had been employed as a cleaner in the House of Commons.
A draft Home Office letter to Downing Street was then leaked in August, in which Jacqui Smith warned that a recession could lead to a rise in crime.

His computer, containing confidential correspondence of the constituents that elected him, has been seized. His parliamentary e-mail account, suspended, preventing him from replying to their concerns electronically.

What a day for democracy when counter terrorist police can raid the home and office of an MP, for the crime of embarrassing the government.

cashman · 29-11-2008, 18:14

when n if the truth ever comes out, is the time to make judgements on this i feel,

andrewb · 29-11-2008, 18:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

when n if the truth ever comes out, is the time to make judgements on this i feel,

Yes I must say my post is based on what we know to be the case currently, if it turns out there is something more sinister afoot then that is a completely different matter.

derekgas · 29-11-2008, 18:47

Would he (if he has) have leaked this information if the tories had been in power? Not a chance is my guess! If any party ever concentrates on the job at hand, without excess personal gain or interest, and without spending too much time trying to bring the government of the time down, then they will have my vote. Untill then, I view them as greedy, hypocritical parasites.

garinda · 30-11-2008, 00:19

What a bleedin' (loss of civil) liberty!

If I was an opposition M.P. I'd resign my seat in protest, and force a costly by-election, in protest.

jaysay · 30-11-2008, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekgas

Would he (if he has) have leaked this information if the tories had been in power? Not a chance is my guess! If any party ever concentrates on the job at hand, without excess personal gain or interest, and without spending too much time trying to bring the government of the time down, then they will have my vote. Untill then, I view them as greedy, hypocritical parasites.

The fact is derek that from the time Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party up until they were elected there was virtually a leek a day from every Government Department for the whole time leading up to 1st May 1997, The ten Tory Government had to grin and bare it. At a time when our country is under constant threat from terrorist, 9 anti terror police spend hours ransacking a front bench opposition spokesman's house, constituency office and parliamentary office, for leaking information to the press which embrace the Government. He wasn't arrested under anti-terror laws, or breach of the official secrets act, but under an archaic law which hasn't been used for donkeys years and all for doing the job he was elected to do, hold the government to account, and expose things the British people have every right to know, the failed immigration policy of this Government. But whats more galling is he fact that Gormless Gordon and Jackboots Jacqui didn't know a thing about it, ya reght. If this is the case I think the the question must be asked that when the Speaker, the London Mayor and the Tory Leader were aware what was going on before hand, what the hell was going on. When the Home Secretary doesn't know what is happening in her own department one has to ask if she's fit for purpose and as for the PM not knowing well, the old cherry the buck stops her comes to mind. I actually think its was an exercise in trying to discredit the opposition which was ill thought out and has now come back to bit this beleaguered government on the bum big time

Gayle · 30-11-2008, 10:39

Perhaps the question at hand is how he got hold of the information? One can only wonder whether he or his source has been illegally intercepting private emails and what other information he could have!

Should you be able to pursue the truth by using illegal methods? Just a thought!

Of course, if he's completely in the right and he had all of that information by the right and proper channels then I'd be happy to admit I'm wrong.

jaysay · 30-11-2008, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

Perhaps the question at hand is how he got hold of the information? One can only wonder whether he or his source has been illegally intercepting private emails and what other information he could have!

Should you be able to pursue the truth by using illegal methods? Just a thought!

Of course, if he's completely in the right and he had all of that information by the right and proper channels then I'd be happy to admit I'm wrong.

Gayle, the leaking of government information has been going on through every parliament, of every colour since politics began, but the fact that this has been condemned by not only the Tories but by both Labour and Liberal/Dems MPs too, if you, as an opposition are investigated for showing up government incomptance were on the way to a police state

Meccy · 30-11-2008, 13:15

A very heavy handed action by the police. Why was he not asked to come to the police station rather than be arrested?

According to Tony Benn, this could be construed as contempt of parliament, a most undemocratic act.

To search an MP's office requires permission from The Speaker. If Martin knew then you can be sure the PM knew all about it. This stinks to high heaven of abuse of power.

It seems that the current speaker knows not of the integrity of previous incumbents - On January 4, 1642 when King Charles 1st entered the House of Commons to seize the five disruptive members, The Speaker, William Lenthall behaved with great prudence and dignity. Having taken the speaker's chair and looked round in vain to discover the offending members, Charles turned to Lenthall standing below, and demanded of him whether any of those persons were in the House, whether he saw any of them and where they were. Lenthall fell on his knees and replied: "May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here."

andrewb · 30-11-2008, 13:45

Gayle · 30-11-2008, 14:56

I wonder, and I'm just playing devil's advocate here, whether it hasn't done far more good to Damian Green to be arrested than if he'd just tried to leak the info out.

He's managed to get a huge amount of publicity out of it and highlighted the Labour government's hypocrisy etc. Without the arrest he would merely have been bleating on about the government, now he's the hero of the hour having been wrongly arrested and people are prepared to listen to him bleating on about the government.

jaysay · 30-11-2008, 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

I wonder, and I'm just playing devil's advocate here, whether it hasn't done far more good to Damian Green to be arrested than if he'd just tried to leak the info out.

He's managed to get a huge amount of publicity out of it and highlighted the Labour government's hypocrisy etc. Without the arrest he would merely have been bleating on about the government, now he's the hero of the hour having been wrongly arrested and people are prepared to listen to him bleating on about the government.

I don't think your playing devils advocate at all Gayle, I think your spot on actually, but that's not the way it started out. I actually think there will be one or two red faces at Labour H. Q. Its alright Jackboots Jacqui going on about a police investigation, but into what, showing this government up for lying on their immigration policies, and highlighting what a mitigated disaster it has been over the last few years, we're the only country with an open door policy and it stinks

Royboy39 · 30-11-2008, 22:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

I don't think your playing devils advocate at all Gayle, I think your spot on actually, but that's not the way it started out. I actually think there will be one or two red faces at Labour H. Q. Its alright Jackboots Jacqui going on about a police investigation, but into what, showing this government up for lying on their immigration policies, and highlighting what a mitigated disaster it has been over the last few years, we're the only country with an open door policy and it stinks

Could this be another cover up for data discs and laptop computers lost by over the past year by our trusted Government?
This latest 'Media Blast' smells of Labour Bullshine in order to discredit a shadow minister.
If, when in in business, I was to try and 'Slag Off' a competitor, sooner or later my customers would ask the question? 'What is this Guy trying to prove?'
I think that this latest saga puts the Police above the law.
For the first time in my life I agree with Tony Benn.
This is contempt of Parliament and democracy.