Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#1
Surprise, surprise. No-one really expected any prosecution to come from this disgrace to democracy. In fact it once again raises some serious questions for the Governemnt to answer over a waste of police time and what was an outrage to our democratic system.
Look at some of what the DPP said:
The Information handled was not secret. It did not relate to national security, military or policing matters and that it was not highly confidential.
He said that some of the information was of "legitimate matters of public interest" This latter is quite an amazing thing to have been said by the DPP and I wonder if there is a message there.
Damian was simply doing the job of an Opposition MP, in fact he did nothing Brown did not do when he was in opposition. All Damian did was embarrass the Government, a perfectly legitimate thing to do and something required of him by our unwritten constitution.
Damian pointed out that it was the first time an Opposition politician had been arrested since the birth of democracy in this country.
Heads must roll over what happened to him.
Sid Pollitt
#2
It aint being prosectuted but it dont mean it aint guilty. His eyes are a little too close together for my liking. Mind you we shouldnt encourage them, before you know it we'll be able to name six or seven Tory frontbenchers at this rate.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#3
Sid, you say it dont mean he is not guilty. Oh really, just look at what the Department of Public Prosecution actually said.
"""""The Information handled was not secret. It did not relate to national security, military or policing matters and that it was not highly confidential. He said that some of the information was of "legitimate matters of public interest"""""
Guilty of what then Sid. Guilty of what Gordon Brown did when he was in opposition, guilty of acting as an opposition MP should. Worth the death sentence from you maybe, at least as far as any Tory is concerned but not, I expect in the eyes of the public.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#4
final word on this should have been prosucuted as an example.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#5
Brian - did I read you right, are you saying Damian Green should have been prosecuted to set an example?
If so why?
For behaving in an appropriate way for an Opposition MP in a democracy perhaps. Clearly the CPS (to put it correctly) could not find anything to charge him for and even they said what he did was in the public interest.
Have you been taking lessons from Mugabe on democracy?
Perhaps I didnt read you right.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#6
barry you probaly didnt,but it would be a good example to the rest of the houses of parliment.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#7
getting back to the original post from barry, damian green states that he is the first oppostion politician to be arrested since the birth of democracy.
what about jeremy thorpe?
i feel sure that there have been many others too.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#8
For doing his job, howard, it is that which Damian is talking about, being arrested for doing the job of an opposition MP. Thorpe's were other 'indiscretions' concerning his private life, something to do with an attempted murder was it not.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#9
the interesting thing here barry is that young green made the point that the committee that exonerated him, was labour chaired and had a labour majority.
it will be interesting to see if an incoming blue government in 14 months time will be as honest.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#10
Howard - the House of Commons Committee, yes, it played a role but the Crown Prosecution Service whose report is out today is not at all political, this is who said that what Damian was doing is in the public interest.
The HoC committee had a different but still valid angle yesterday, after all, the Labour members on that committee know that if they retain their seats they will be the opposition in 15 months and will want to benefit themselves from leaks... enlightened self-interest, nothing wrong with that I must add.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#11
barry
you have confirmed what many of us have started to think recently.
"enlightened self interest".
i think that our leader here, a certain paul b, has made the point repeatedly about our betters playing just within the rules.
no room for morals.
at the risk of being boring, just watch in june, when the results come in from the european and counry council elections.
the leading parties are in for a bit of a shock.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#12
I know Labour are, perhaps not, they are expecting a drubbing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
forget the main party stuff barry, just watch the results come in, then you will have the opportunity to apologise to me.
i have been studying this rather closely.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
#14
hOWARD
You are probabl(unlike barryw tinted glasses post)
IK'v said many times on here with all this bad publicity on MP's expenses and the usual boring politics, more and more people are switching off voting, and that is a real danger, not only for the major parties, but salso for democracy, and who could slip into some of these seats.
Look at Burnley where people voted for the BNP
its a worrying trend, aand don't forget even here in Dover a BNP candidate in District elections got 160 votes
Thats the worry.
Politics in general needs to tidy its act up both locally and nationally, sadly i dont think it will happen, but ever hopeful
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#15
keith
i have been following the fortunes of the bnp for some time, they have definitley gained a lot of popular support.
the skin headed, tattoed thug of the past is not visible anymore(i have no idea whether they are still part of things).
harriet harman gave an interview in the independent a couple of weeks ago, when she expressed her fears of losing support to them.
the smug blue people will get another shock when the ukip cut into their core support.