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What the tale of two Damians tells us
Joe Murphy, Political Editor16.04.09
There is a ghastly contrast in the case of the Two Damians.
Damian Green, the Tory immigration minister, found information politically embarrassing to Government ministers.
Former No 10 adviser Damian McBride was caught disseminating smears about Opposition ministers.
They threw the book at the first Damian. He was arrested, bugged, his homes and offices searched, his wife and daughter terrorised, and was then kept in fear of prosecution for months.
The decision to call in the police was taken by the Cabinet Office, led by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell. Its letter to Scotland Yard contained a startling inaccuracy: that national security had been damaged. Even when that was shown to be untrue, the wheels of injustice kept running.
What a difference in the way the other Damian was handled. They hardly laid a glove on him. When spinning his errors as “juvenile banter” failed, he resigned — an act hailed as “honourable” by Cabinet Office Minister Liam Byrne.
No investigation has been mounted to find out if anyone else in Whitehall or Government was involved in “Smeargate”. It was ruled out by, yes, Sir Gus O'Donnell. He didn't need to call in the Sweeney — he could have glanced through Damian's emails in the No 10 computer two desks away. Sir Gus did not even grill Minister Tom Watson who was namechecked in a smear-mail.
Mr Green says the contrast shows the State's powers are used more against those who embarrass ministers than those who harm their opponents. Maybe.
Another thought: it throws a spotlight on the goldfish bowl office shared in Downing Street by Mssrs McBride, Byrne, O'Donnell, Watson and Brown.
Can civil servants really be protected from political influence when there are no walls between them?
Reader views (3)
The Body Politic is rotten from the head down. We live in a police state, ruled by goons with no morals whatever and driven only by a desperation to maintain thier perks and keep their power. Is there NOTHING which this Govt considers a sacking or resigning offence?
- Sam, London UK
Oh yesss... there's lots more to come. All those nasty briefings against their own ministers for a start. Watch the snakes eating their own tails.
Delicious stuff.
- Susanna Smith, newmarket suffolk
When the political system is shown up to be flawed and inconsistant is it any wonder that the public have so little regard for politicians.
What really gets me though,is how this has been so down played by parts of the media and especially the BBC,who seem to have entirely missed the implications of McBride.
The whole thing stinks,and I think that there is more to come.
- Nigel, wimbledon
