11/28/2008

British Police Raid Member of Parliament's Home Over Public Comments to the Press about Government Mistakes

The UK Daily Mail has this remarkable story:

Extraordinary details of the heavy-handed police operation against Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green were revealed this afternoon.

Nine counter-terrorism officers raided the MP's London home, frightening his 15-year-old daughter Verity and wife Alicia who were there.

Mr Green was seized at his constituency home in Ashford, Kent, and held at Belgravia police station for nine hours, only one of which was used to question him about his alleged crime - leaking information embarrassing to the Home Office. . .

By contrast, however, the molehunt at the Home Office was for the source of a stream of stories that embarrassed the Government rather than threatened national security.

They included that 5,000 illegal migrants had been cleared to work in security.

Last week a junior Home Office official, aged 26, was arrested.

Tory leader David Cameron said police and ministers had 'serious questions' to answer, particularly about the use of counter-terrorism officers. . . . .


Here is the puzzle. Somehow this is true:

However, Mr Cameron, London mayor Boris Johnson, and Commons Speaker Michael Martin were all given prior notice.

Former Conservative Home Secretary and Tory leader, Michael Howard, said he would be "astonished" if he had not been told about the police investigation when in office. . . .


But none of the government ministers were supposedly told:

no ministers were told about the raids in advance.


Why tell "Mr Cameron, London mayor Boris Johnson, and Commons Speaker Michael Martin" but not anyone in the Labor leadership? Anyway, there are some questions here that will have to be ironed out.

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7 Comments:

Blogger Bruce said...

As a Brit I really appreciate you posting this.

I dont want to sound cold but the awful events in Mumbai are dominating our news stories. Once again our Government is not being called to account.

The arrest of a senior politician must of been cleared at a very senior governmental level and I hope that every UK journalist shines a very bright light on this....and soon!

11/28/2008 1:19 PM  
Blogger The Right Guy said...

Can you imagine if Bush had that done to Pelosi, Frank or Reid?

11/28/2008 10:36 PM  
Blogger Bruce said...

right guy,

the more worrying question is will Obama's government (with its massive media support) feel they can get away with doing the same?

11/29/2008 5:53 AM  
Blogger The Right Guy said...

Bruce:
My guess is that they will find a way to do it too. I don't think he will be overt and try something immediately, but over time like the frog on the pot scenario, we will slowly become accustomed to the changes. Look for him to limit our guns rights. That is where I think he'll start first. Lese majestesty is about to come back in vogue.

11/29/2008 11:00 AM  
Blogger Atascosa Lookout said...

See! This is exactly what happens in a country that has subjects instead of citizens. Can everyone now have a clearer picture of where the U.S. is headed?

11/30/2008 1:15 PM  
Blogger The Right Guy said...

I have to wonder if England would be better off if the monarch had a pair and ruled instead of the panty-waist idiots they have running the place now. If we are heading there, it'll be round 3.

11/30/2008 2:46 PM  
Blogger Martin G. Schalz said...

BHO has made himself rather clear in one regard...

"We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."

Would BHO use the above to arrest and question someone like 'Deepthroat' who leaks information to the press? I suppose that he might construe something of that nature as a 'National Security' issue.

11/30/2008 10:16 PM  

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