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Apologise for police raid on MP 'or you're toast', Speaker told
NICHOLAS CECIL CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT3 Dec 2008
Commons Speaker Michael Martin has been warned "say sorry or you're toast" over his failure to stop police raiding a senior MP's office.
Tory and Lib-Dem grandees were today set to challenge the Speaker if he refuses to allow a proper debate on the decision to let detectives search shadow immigration minister Damian Green's Commons room.
But backbench MP Richard Bacon, who is rallying support to challenge the Speaker's authority, issued a blunt warning to him.
Mr Bacon, who sits on the all-party Commons public accounts committee, had sought a meeting with Mr Martin. He managed to speak only to his secretary Angus Sinclair but left him in no doubt about the anger among MPs over the affair.
"He needs to say sorry, it should not have happened, I take responsibility and it won't happen again," the Conservative MP said he told Mr Sinclair.
"If he says anything less than that I think he's almost certainly toast and he may be toast anyway."
The row intensified as Lord Mandelson stepped up Labour attacks on the Tories over the affair, accusing the party of using the row with the Speaker as a "smokescreen" to hide its own role in breaking the law. "Whilst I recognise the anger being expressed by some MPs is no doubt sincerely expressed by some of them, I also think it is particularly self-serving of Conservative MPs who want to put up a smokescreen to hide their own party's relationship in allegedly colluding with a Home Office official in breaking the law," he said.
However, the embattled Speaker faced renewed pressure today after a former chief prosecutor tore holes in the police inquiry into Mr Green.
The scathing criticism from Sir Ken Macdonald, who stood down as director of public prosecutions just weeks ago, raised further questions over Mr Martin's conduct.
The Speaker has bowed to demands for a debate on the row, according to his ally Lord Foulkes, although he said this had been a government decision which will inevitably reinforce the belief that ministers have too much influence over Mr Martin.
Speaking on BBC2's Newsnight, Sir Ken raised serious doubts over whether any convictions would result from the leak investigation.
He also suggested the Metropolitan Police had blundered by failing to properly consult with the Crown Prosecution Service. "If the police proceed in a case which is this sensitive without consulting prosecutors, then things will go wrong," he told the programme.
Tories upped their attack over Mr Green's treatment by releasing footage of police arriving to carry out the raid. Many MPs believe officers were allowed in on a "fishing trip" to seek information from Mr Green's office after civil servant Christopher Galley, 26, who is accused of passing him sensitive Home Office documents, was arrested and bailed earlier this month.
Lord Foulkes spoke out on BBC Radio 4's Today programme in defence of Mr Martin, adding: "The Government has agreed to a debate. I think it's going to take place as the first debate in the Queen's Speech."
Mr Martin was due to make a statement to MPs on the affair at 2.30pm today. The Met announced yesterday that British Transport Police head Ian Johnston was to carry out a review of the probe and the arrest of Mr Green last Thursday.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith lashed out at the Tories for lacking "respect" for the law.
She dismissed suggestions that she was not being straight over what she knew about the investigation before Mr Green's arrest.
Reader views (23)
So the Prime Minister didn’t know anything? The Home Secretary didn’t know anything? The Speaker didn’t know anything? The Serjeant at Arms didn’t know that a search warrant was required to search and remove an MP’s property? The Police didn’t know that they needed a search warrant?
Sounds very much like the outbound staff from Haringey Council could easily be replaced by new staff recruited from the above. Alleged “lack of knowledge” has never been a defence for abject incompetence graphically illustrated by members of the Cabinet, the Parliamentary process and the Senior Officer in the Met responsible for anti-terrorism. God help us !!!!
- Alan Dickinson, Beaconsfield Bucks, 03/12/2008 15:20
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Denis Regan you sound like a member the Welsh/Scottish/North England Nu Labor client state. These scum have bankrupted the country and destroyed the foundations of democracy. Which other government would bring back Mandelson three times?? British Police are incompetent mudering, racist goons. Root and branch re-training and restructuring required.
The Speaker has defiled his office, the smell of excrement will hang over Parliament for a long time. The public trust in the Police is zero, zilch, de nada.
- James Ritchie, new malden, surrey, 03/12/2008 15:09
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Ten years of this government and the politicisation of the Police has turned the vast majority of us into sceptics who no longer support or believe the Police Force is there to protect us, but to supress us, while a series of Politicians starting with the Prime Minister and Mandelson have become ludicrous figures of some morally bankcrupt regime we used to think belonged in a book.
How very sad. I once allowed the Police to carry out a stake out from my London Office. Would not do that now. They have abused their trust.
- Stephen Rothbart, Prague, Czech Republic, 03/12/2008 14:22
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Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Labour have been in absolute power too long and have lost respect for anything and anyone. Clearly these leaks of non-confidential but embarrassing information put their noses out and so they retaliated by calling in the anti-terrorist police?! Bring on the next election.
- Chris Stenson, London, 03/12/2008 13:44
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The same old Tories looking for scapegoats and blaming the Speaker before knowing the facts.Me thinks student politics not the real world.
- Denis Regan, Cardiff ,wales, 03/12/2008 13:38
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The erosion of parliamentary tradition and custom started with the arrival of Mr Blair in 1997. His lack of interest in the process was palpable and now his successor carries on with the undermining. There are historic reasons why Parliamentary premises are sacrosanct and all who participated in this latest scandal should be taken to account.
- David, Peterborough, 03/12/2008 13:28
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Peter Meddlesome's remarks miss the mark again. As far as I can see Mr Green hasn't actually broken the law, and at worst Mr Galley is in breach of contract, Labour seems to be hinting that the two have breached the Official Sectrets Act. Quite possibly so, but it's taken this furore for the public to learn that the fact that the Govenment has no control over immigration or any knowledge where all the illegal immigrants have gone is an Official Secret.And this might explain why it is proposing to bring in legislation to permit the police to stop anyone and ask for ID, and if you don't comply you can get arrested. Well do we live in a Police State or not?
- Jeremiah, London, 03/12/2008 13:27
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"I think it was right that it was investigated and you have to. With these sorts of things, leave it to the the police and the crime prosecution service to make their decisions," said David Cameron on those investigated by the poice over loans-for-lordships. But in the light of recent events, did he mean that the police should only be involved if Labour politicians were suspected of law breaking?
- Abdullah, London, England, 03/12/2008 13:08
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Parliment's confidence in the current speaker went along time ago, and he should have gone along time ago. Hopefully, now he will.
- Jeremy E, London, 03/12/2008 12:34
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I think it disgusting how these politicians think they are above the law. How deary they try and hide behind the public saying they try to tell us something we should be let in on. If they where doing what we as taxpayers ask them to do they should be creating a private members bill that lets us know everything part from state security matters of the day. rather than going around and looking like some a spy hell bent on destroying this great nation.
- Sully, Sawbridgeworth, 03/12/2008 11:45
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I think it disgusting how these politicians think they are above the law. How deary they try and hide behind the public saying they try to tell us something we should be let in on. If they where doing what we as taxpayers ask them to do they should be creating a private members bill that lets us know everything part from state security matters of the day. rather than going around and looking like some a spy hell bent on destroying this great nation.
- Sully, Sawbridgeworth, 03/12/2008 11:45
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Michael Martin is just a cog in a Marxist regime and he has devalued the historical position he currently holds. His arrogance and partisan attitude precludes his position and he should resign, along with his cohorts in Government. We need responsible and respectful custodianship of our once proud nation,only a General Election will enable the people to elect an alternative. The sooner the better.
- John E, Northants, 03/12/2008 11:40
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I hope the MPs do not let the Nu Labor ministers get away with this travesty!
- Peteo, London, 03/12/2008 11:25
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Commons Speaker Michael Martin also wanted to cover up the expenses fiasco.
Labour are lying through their teeth as always.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 03/12/2008 11:15
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How that Martin can still be the leader of Parliament and the other Nu Labor guys still in Parliament is beyond belief.
- Georgie, Islington, London, 03/12/2008 11:13
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Jacqui Smith is a fine one to talk about 'respect' for the Law. What a bunch of criminals we have running our Country. The Speaker must go.
- Jk, London, 03/12/2008 11:01
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So the Government's only spokesperson these days, Lordy Mandy (who probably hopes to be Queen Mandy one day) says the Conservative party has been breaking the law: isn't that slander? An MP is not a 'mole' - if a mole passes information to the MP the mole may have broken the law, but not the MP. All the smoke and mirrors are, as usual, being used by the Labour Party.
Just WHAT is going on in the Immigration Office that the Government does not want the British electorate to know . . . ?
- Roz, Chamonix, France, 03/12/2008 10:51
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Apologise?He should be sacked full stop.Miss Smith needs to be sacked also,and this government needs to go before thay do any more damage to are democracy and freedoms.
- Kev, London, 03/12/2008 10:46
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The stench is now unbearable so will someone please burn all copies of the Magna Carta as they no longer have any relevance to this bunch of cretins known as MP's
- Alan, Chigwell. UK, 03/12/2008 10:43
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Get him sacked. This sinister and damaging government have so many policies that lack common sense, that there simply must be a underlying policy of the corrupt and arrogant New Labour to ruin British society to such an extent that it can then introduce ever more restrictive laws (thereby enhancing their power and remove more of our freedoms.) The police should be totally unpoliticised and the Police Chief Commissioner elected by the people.
Please, please, the peope of Britain, you've seen how detrimental Labour has been to this country, let's rise up, kick them out and ensure that they never ever recover power to resume government ever again.
- Sweatsocks, London, 03/12/2008 10:32
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Jackboots Jacqui Smiff just has to go. She's lying now, has lied and will lie in the future. It's simply in her genes. Crash Gordon lies for a living.
Go now and take this woebegone bunch of criminals with you. Election now!
Papers please citizen!
- Rusty Shackleford, UK, 03/12/2008 09:57
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How much longer is this crook going to be allowed in his position? He's on the make and biased politically.
- Justin, London, 03/12/2008 09:49
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The speaker and the home secretary and anyone else with ahand in arresting Mr Green MP need to go. We cannot believe a word they say.
- Maggie, London, 03/12/2008 09:43
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