Monday 8 February 2010

What party? What law? What order?

The Conservatives traditionally like to be regarded as "the party of law & order". They're respectable you see. Middle class. Deferential. Diffident. Rule of Law, that's what matters in a civilised society old boy! What?

Except, it's the same Tories that ignore the law when it suits them.

Rules? Regulations? That's for the other fella, donch'know? Plebs, that sort. The hoi and the poloi. No, old chap, we make the laws, they're for our benefit, for the suppression of louts and the like. And we're not louts, obviously, ...perish the thought. So we can quietly ignore any silly little statute when it gets in the way....got it?

Last week I posted on Chris Grayling, the Shadow Home Secretary no less, issuing misleading statistics on crime, and being severely reprimanded by the Head of the Office for National Statistics.

Today David cameron launched what he thought was a blisterting attack over the politicians who are tryng to claim Parliamentary privilege over their prosecution for expense claims.

According to the BBC

here

"... the Tory leader prepared for a speech featuring a claim his Labour counterpart was tolerating the MPs' attempt to "evade justice".

Mr Cameron is also asking shadow Commons leader Sir George Young to prepare a new Parliamentary Privilege Act which "we would introduce as soon as possible, to clarify the rules of parliamentary privilege to make clear that they cannot be used by MPs to evade justice".....

Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman said the Conservatives had opposed such a law coming into force in the summer.

And she warned Mr Cameron to be "careful" not to jeopardise the trial with comments that could allow the MPs to argue they could no longer receive a fair trial.

And now the Speaker of the House has issued a magisterial rebuke: this case is sub judice, it must not be discussed in any way that might prejudice a trial or investigation.

In other words: shut up Dave. Shut up Chris. The rules apply to you as well as anyone else. Got it?

partyoflornorda'

Aye right!

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