Afternoon:
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The Attorney General was clinging to her job today after comparing a breach of immigration law with not paying the congestion charge.
In a huge blow to Gordon Brown, Baroness Scotland was fined £5,000 for employing an illegal immigrant as her housekeeper.
The Prime Minister refused to sack the minister because she had committed only a “technical” breach of the law in failing to keep a copy of 27-year-old Loloahi Tapui's passport.
But despite issuing a statement apologising for her error, Lady Scotland later appeared to dismiss the fine by comparing it with a motoring offence.
“It's like driving into the City and not paying the congestion charge. It is not a criminal offence,” she told Sky News.
“I made an administrative, technical error for which I am bitterly, bitterly sorry. I will never fail to take a photocopy again. I got it wrong. It was a technical breach and I have paid the penalty.”
The embattled Attorney General's words will cause intense embarrassment for the Prime Minister.
He said that Lady Scotland should stay in her post because she had not “knowingly” broken the law on hiring illegal workers.
Cabinet ministers also rallied round to praise Lady Scotland — the first woman to hold the post of Attorney General.
However, the Tories seized on the Prime Minister's failure to sack her and declared that Labour now felt that there was “one law for them and one law for us”.
Lady Scotland said that the law had been designed to be “really robust” and she accepted she had fallen foul of its tight rules.
“There will not be a woman in the country who is not reaching for that passport and making sure they have a copy. This applies to all the people we employ — Irish, English, Lithuanian,” she said.
Lady Scotland conceded she had misjudged the character of Ms Tapui. “I thought she was a really nice woman, it looks as if I made a number of errors of judgment in terms of her character,” she said.
“I did check absolutely everything. The critical thing is having checked, each employer is asked to take photocopies. I didn't take photocopies. I absolutely believe she was bona fide,” she added.
Lady Scotland has faced heavy criticism because she is the country's chief law officer and helped to push through Parliament the legislation that she breached.
Ms Tapui has worked for the past six months at Lady Scotland's large family home in west London.
The UK Border Agency launched an investigation after a newspaper last week revealed that the Tongan was living in Britain illegally, having overstayed on a student visa.
Today, the agency's chief executive, Lin Homer, said the investigation confirmed that Lady Scotland had employed an illegal immigrant, but did not do so “knowingly”.
The fine was half the maximum of £10,000 because Lady Scotland had “no history” of employing illegal immigrants, had taken “steps” to check her employee's status and had co-operated fully with the investigation, Ms Homer said.
“However, the law requires that employers must keep copies of documents proving the right to work in the UK and in this instance the employer failed to meet this requirement,” she added.
Lady Scotland said: “I fully accept the findings of the UK Border Agency, that I made a technical breach of the rules and I apologise for having made this inadvertent error.
“Having examined the documents which I was shown, I accept entirely that I should have taken copies of them and retained those copies and I accept it is my duty to pay the fine and I have done so. I sincerely apologise for my error.”
Mr Brown, en route to the US for a G20 summit, attempted to shore up his minister. He said no further action was necessary given the action taken by the authorities and her apology.
Reader views (95)
Not paying your C charge? I think the fine is more consistent with fly tipping.
- Dave, NW London
Sack her and give her a criminal record.
They would show no mercy for a member of the public caught in that situation.
- Simon, London
Glad she's got the £5000.00 I haven’t got £50.00 to pay a fine.
I wonder if the cleaner was paid the minimum wage? HMRC should be able to confirm that. But she would not have been in this position had she listen to her boss and employed a British person 'British jobs for British workers' and all that.
Now let me get this straight an illegal immigrant who falsely and knowing uses a NI number she is not entitled to, uses it to gets a job working for the attorney general.
What security checks were carried out on her?? Clearly none.
Oh with Billions spent by this government to make our borders safe there is no system that when someone has out stayed their welcome there appears to be no way to invalidate the NI number, surely not cant believe it . I have been listening to those Tories to much.
No wonder those people in the Calais all want to come here, all they see is slackness and incompetence and now there is a vacancy for a cleaner. I bet they cant wait to jump out of the lorry and nip round their. Just flash your passport with an out of date student visa and invalid NI number and your be could be sweeping the floor before your feet’s dry.
- Grumpy At 50, london
Is there no end to this womans faults. The way Labour cling to office when they should resign. Brown is standing by her so she is doomed. A civil offence ? Then what is criminal ?
Was she confused as she was when she fiddled £170,000 in "extra" housing expenses ? (announced on Sunday)I hope the police continue investigating this after she resigns.
Maybe she is an illegal immigrant also.
- Michael, London, UK
It's laughable. You couldn't have made this up. She is as crocked as her teeth. Practice what you preach. Time to collect your P45 and use the savings you made on the fine to get your teeth sorted.
- Frank, Copenhagen, Denmark
If a senior Police Officer had commited this offence such person would have had to face Criminal charges, Disciplinary charges, and more likely than not have finished up being required to resign. And such officer would be much further down the scale of legislature from the mighty Baroness. So where is natural justice?
- Robert Trigger., Hull, East Yorks.,
According to Mandy-London, I live in one of the less salubrious parts of Essex, yet I can in fact afford a cleaner, but do not see the reason for doing so. And yes Kev's comments say more about him than about me. I must add that both my parents worked (in what would be classed as highly responsible and well paid jobs) and they neither saw the need for a cleaner/house keeper. They felt (as I do) that maintaining a house kept you grounded and living as others do. (Probably a throw back to my Welsh Methodist background). Also if the Attorney General had just done some of her own house work she would not be in the position of paying a hefty fine and facing ridicule (and the possibility of losing her job).
- Teddy, Grays, Essex
Another 'Scotish' crook!
- Mike, London England and once GREAT Britain
The medieval robber kings were gradually caught out by the laws that they themselves had passed. Seems that the same is happening with this awful government. Poetic justice.
- David, London
Brown will be hunkering down in the No10 bunker, hoping it will all soon blow over and he will be safe to come out again. Fortunately for him, the general public have very short memories and even shorter attention spans. On the other hand, the general election is now not that far off and, for sure, there will be many more occasions between now and then for more Nuliebour debacles to keep reminding the taxpayers what a disaster he and his party are.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
Her arrogance is staggering. We have the most corrupt government in the western world and Gordon Brown yet again condones their wrongdoing and allows them to remain on the gravy train.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK
If she has any shred of integrity that her role requires then she should resign. Any other solution makes a mockery of our legal system.
- Kath Pryce, Luton
was she DNA'd and finger printed...doubt it....I want any outlaw action I take in the future called a technical mistake...........and discounted as lawbreaking...
- Themanoftruth, United Kingdom
It is clear there is one law for senior Government Ministers and another for ordinary citizens. Baroness Scotland had a duty, under her own laws, to undertake reasonable checks and she failed. As a lawyer I feel the justice of the law has been seriously hurt and she should now do the honourable (above all as she is unelected) thing by resigning.
- Andrew, London
Nick, London: You got it wrong. It is not a fascist state. We are a Communist state and have been for many years.
- Bj, London
Just how many eminent legal minds has the Mid-Essex Technical College and School of Art, Chelmsford produced? I doubt whether her A levels were much good if she ended up there. A couple of D's are enough to get in.
- Alan John, Meoham,Kent
this chancier should resign right now. just seen her interview on the news with her smug face and pretentious posh ac sent
- Des, london
A £5,000 fine for not paying your congestion charge. Now that would be interesting.
- Mick, London, England
Is Baroness Scotland's mis-adventure any worse than Dame Shirley Porter , for the conservative party ? After all dame Shirley Owes London over £12Million (due to the Votes for Houses Scandal) as the Labour Government decided to do the Conservatioev party a favour and and wipe out half her debts .
So if the media wants to talk about scandals then, Dame Porter scale wise Baroness Scotland's scandal is a mere drop in the Ocean as Britain's debt situation is caused by the Likes Of Conservative Party members like "dame" Porter whoi swindl;e the country of millions , and the Conservative party attempt to sweep it all under the carpet .
- A Farrell, UK
One rule for one, and one rule for the other......us lot being the other! Makes me so irrate!!! How comes this woman was not vetted before she commenced employment...that fact is more worrying than anything else.
- Vikki, Bristol
Will you never get it into your heads that this government's ministers are so busy making laws for us to follow that they themselves have not got time to read what they have passed into statute.
Therefor they are more or less exempted from following the trivialities of everyday life in order that they can go on to make even better laws, which will make this country a better place for the rest of us to live.
In Scotland we had a Labour Party leadership election where the successful candidate broke several rules on donations, no action was taken as apparently the candidate had not understood the law, which had been written by her own party.
- John J, Edunburgh, Scotland
would she have been quite so flippant had it been an ordinary joe, or josie soap who had committed the same 'technical offence'. after all it was her law;
hoisted by her own petard.
one should lead by example and if she is so dismissive of her own handiwork, then all others in the same boat can expect to have the same lenient treatment and thus evade the maximum penalty, which i feel sure might well be applied to them.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
She "has a technical breach of the rules".
The rest of us plebs "break the Law".
Simples.
- Mark, Swindon
Well done Gordon Brown for saving this useless Attorney General for the nation. Let's hope that when she finally accepts that her position is untenable and has to resign that Gordon does the decent thing and goes with her.One thing you can always rely on with this Nulabour party and that is that it is one rule for them and another for us.
- Keith Priceless, Luton
The whole Baroness Scotland case illustrates what is wrong with the Government. They believe that they can sort all problems out by legislation. When it does not work they increase the penalties. The problem is that most of their legislation has unintended consequence and penalises basically innocent people without catching the really guilty.
To do a job you have now to be trained but the best way of training which is through experience does not count. Box tickers rule and the country is tied up in pointless and expensive red tape. It is not surprising that this government has doubled spending with very little improvement in any thing. Perhaps Brown will learn the lessons of the Scotland case. He thinks she should not resign because as a member of his government she can do no wrong. She and he should resign because they were responsible for silly unworkable laws.
- John, oxford
First of all she should make an appointment to see a good dentist. - Then she should resign from her job.
- Sarah, London
The 'baroness' says that she did not knowingly employ an illegal immigrant.
Someone needs to ask her is she is willing to take a lie-detector test.
If she passes, all right, she keeps her job until the next election when the new government will get rid of her, but if she fails, she goes and she pays the full £10,000 fine herself instead of just £5,000.
- Eric Legge, Ongar, England
Do I get this right? So as long as she kept copies of the documents she could have legally employed an illegal immigrant? Her only offence seems to have been not keeping a photocopy or two rather the real problem - she employed her! Does this mean the law serves no purpose i.e. you only have to have your paperwork in order no matter whether it shows she had no right to be working here? Ridiculous!!
- Gc, London
Well said Mandy. Terminal case of delusions of grandeur.
- Rob, London
This story still has legs.
The cleaner was here originally on a student visa and then apparently overstayed her ‘welcome’. On the relevant page on her passport would be the student visa stamp stating clearly she wasn’t able to work.
Now, what are the options:
Scotland looked at that page and didn’t spot the disrepancy, which makes her incompetent and not fit to hold office (especially bearing in mind immigrant employment law was her brief when at the Home Office).
She didn’t look at the relevant page on the passport and has therefore lied to UKBA and the public
She looked at the page and it had been altered/forged; again bearing in mind her position/training should we not expect more thoroughness from the Attorney General who spends her working day looking at complex documents and legal issues?
Isn’t it convenient that she DIDN’T have a copy of the relevant pages to show the UKBA?
- Dcl, harrow
Peter, Harrow, UK
Peter, you miss the point. Baroness Scotland should have insisted she saw all the paperwork giving her cleaner the right to work in the UK. It is absolutely nothing like a lorry driver bringing an illegal immigrant in as they don't know the immigrants are hiding on their vehicle. Scotland knew this cleaner was there (in her house) and just assumed she was legal.
- Tom W, London
Another labour minister = more lies and smoke screens. This lot are such cowards! Why can't any of them admit wrong doing when they are caught? They all try and lie their way out of their immoral and illegal activities.
In the past, the english were world famous for having the guts to admit they were wrong when caught. However, things have changed after 13 years of this miserable and incompetent labour government. No one is ever wrong any more - everyone thinks they are right and they lie and twist the truth to suit their own dishonest means. This is the lowest form of human behaviour and people like Baroness Scotland have no backbone and are certainly unfit for such high office. She should go immediately.
- Margy, London
@ Lucy in Leatherhead:
"Oh dear! With all her money surely she can afford to get those teeth fixed. Another of Brown's women - he certainly knows how to pick them!"
I am not so sure if "Baroness Scotland" (does she rule Scotland???)is a woman.
- Black Prince, London SW3
Why all the hysteria? What did the Baroness gain by employing this cleaner? I can guarantee you that she would not have save anything wages wise. It was an oversight for sure. A trivial little matter, which is of relatively little consequence to anybody. Grow up everbody and put things into perspective.
- Knowitall, London
Excuse me but how can a "technicality" be forgetting to make copies, if she examined this cleaners' documents then she would have realised she was here illegally (copies or no copies). Are the Border Agency saying keeping copies is fine regardless of status???? am totally confused.
- Norbert -Gooner, london
The media will not let this go. It'll run and run, and will, ironically, be the final nail in the coffin of the doomed-to-failure New Labour Project.
One can almost read the headline: "It woz the bold as brass Baroness wot did `em".
- Ted, London
Nobby Clark, Barones Scotland was wrong but her title has notning whatsoever to do with your beloved country. Scotland happens to be the surname she was born with. Indeed,ignorance is no defence!
- Jan Bors, London U.K.
They have just brought this offense down to a minor offense for everyone with only a fine payable. If the person who introduced the law, who also happens to be a lawyer, can equate it to not paying the congestion charge in her defense then this defense is open to everyone else. Now a worthless piece of legislation.
- Andy, london
She's the attorney-general. She's also part of the cabinet which brought in this laws in the face of much opposition. They were told how they'd criminalize people and levy draconian penalties for unavoidable and accidental mistakes. For both these reasons, she must resign (or be sacked), which I'd not say for another person, or even MP, in the same situation.
If the government wants to make amends, it must start by repealing or modifying the legislation which ensnared her. Having genuinely dealt with its collective mistake, they could then honorably offer her another job.
- Nigel, London
Oh dear! With all her money surely she can afford to get those teeth fixed. Another of Brown's women - he certainly knows how to pick them!
- Lucy, Leatherhead
She's sacked the cleaner and now Mr Brown you should sack her,thats if you care what your voters think.
- Tony Essex, Uk
Kev - London UK - on what basis do you make your assumption that someone who can't afford a cleaner and does their own cleaning and shopping must be a peasant?
Its very pompous and arrogant of you to make such a comment; no doubt you noted that Teddy lived in a less than salubrious place in Essex, and combined with the fact he didn't employ a cleaner you decided to publically ridicule him!
Your comments say far more about you than they do about Teddy, Mr Kev!
- Mandy, London
"Baronness Scotland"
Scotland is no longer a barony that can be ruled over by a former lawyer. It is a ridiculous title given to a Brown-nosing cronie.
It says a lot that Labour is so devoid of real-world skills that it has to give people make-believe awards, who then draft legislation thay they themselves believe they are permitted to ignore.
All of the unelected officials in parliament should be sacked immediately and replaced with MPs who are accountable to their constituencies.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
There can be no way back for her. Her job demands that she is cleaner than clean and she clearly isn't.
She is just another politician who has been corrupted by power.
- George, Cambridge UK
British teeth?
- Andy Davids, London
Brown should have sacked her, then sacked himself.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
We are ruled by donkeys
- Anthony, uk
The "PM" has not got the bottle to sack her!!! Come on!!! the "man" is gutless!!!
- Mark Egan, Sidcup
Another law breaker in Brown's Government!What's new?At one time the Cabinet contained at least 8 members who the public would have judged as thieves with their expense claims.
- P Doff, audierne france
Please absolve me from all sin, Almighty Gord, and grant this day my daily Government salary, moonlight consultancies and golden pension. Amen.
- Wannabebaroness, Hammersmith
The bigger issue is that the draconian laws brought in by this regime are designed to trap the unwary. And of course once you've criminalised the entire country, you need to bring even more stern laws to ensure everyone behaves. This is a one-way street to a facist state.
- Nick, London
No problem for Baroness Scotland she will claim The £5,000 back on her expenses.
- Terry, Ealing, UK
The whole thing is laughable. Get rid of her.
- Neil, London, UK
Funny to see the attorney general beaminginto the camera.
I would have though sternness and gravity were appropriate expressions for this important role.
- Nick, London
The Attorney General, the government's most senior legal adviser, breaks a law which she herself introduced and she hasn't yet resigned! Can the moral standards of the UK's government sink much lower?
- Candidly, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Its not surprising that she will not be sacked the only surprise is that they actually fined her. Never mid claim it on expenses dear.
- Tojo, Hythe
What I don't understand is why, with her money, Baroness Scotland didn't go through a reputable employment agency to vet applicants and make sure all documentation checked out? -Surely not just penny pinching? - And I'm surprised such a high powered woman had the time to interview cleaners herself.
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland
She's the Attorney General, for heaven's sake. For such a person, ignorance of the law cannot be an excuse. She should pay the £5000 and quit - now.
- Alex, London
Pleading ignorance of the Law is no defense and she knows that.
Sack her Gordon or go play in your beach hut
- Carl Barron, Christchurch, Dorset
Apol's, but why isn't anyone insisting on her re-imbursing the £170K+ in overpaid expenses...?
1 month to go and Heathrow here I come - one way...
- Scrappy-Doo, London
Pa, London
None: I can't afford a cleaner British, Polish (I assume you mean the nationality?!) or otherwise. I'm British and can't afford a mortgage and I don't want to claim benefits, so I've moved somewhere slightly more affordable. Rubbishing the indigenous work force I think is unfair and I note you don't specifically say you've had a British cleaner who was rubbish: Polish immigrants tend to live umpteen to a house and leave their families back home - also, I believe, sending benefits they are allowed to claim for them - hence they can offer their employer a more competitive price than someone stuck on the radar of the Inland Revenue and paying to clothe, house and feed their family in expensive Britain. It is, of course, their right as EU citizens and they too are disenfranchised when illegal immigrants from outside the EU undercut them.
I change my argument to 'next time employ an EU citizen' instead. I'm still incredulous that Baroness Scotland's career has encompassed the law (as a practicing QC, no less), responsiblity for British Overseas Territories, responsibility with relations with Southern Asian countries (inc Tonga!) and now as the highest figure in the British legal system, implementing the very law she has broken - yet she forgot to check the TEMPORARY STUDENT visa of her non-EU cleaner had expired? I don't buy it. I wonder if there is a disparity in her non-receipted claim for this expense and what the cleaner was actually paid . . . ?
- Roz, France
Note to current and aspiring politicians - you can fiddle your expenses and use them to run two houses but you can't employ an illegal migrant worker to clean the one place you call home.
- C. Nichol, London
This government has oppressed small employers with dire warnings about the offences they commit if they do not ensure that everyone has the right to be employed in the UK and this includes the copying and scrutiny of the relevant documents proving that status. Thus employers are made to do the government's work with dire consequences threatened if they do not. She failed to ensure that her employee had the relevant permission to work and is therefore guilty. Hoist with her very very own petard.
- Peter Haldane, London
The cleaner was supposed to have been deported twice. The fact that she later married should have no bearing on her residential status. The Border agency failed miserably once again to do their job.
Lady Scotland will hang onto her job for reasons of power and money.
- James, Braintree UK
>>Baroness Scotland has claimed she did not know her cleaner was working illegally
And that is the crux of the issue. How many lorry drivers have had their lorries impounded and fined for 'bringing in' concealed illegal immigrants?
Labour introduced the stupid law so they are bound by it.
- Peter, Harrow, UK
if she was manager of a McDonalds she would be sacked.Maybe McDonald have more principals than McBroon
- David Smith, Croydon
Anyone in any other job will now either be demoted or fired.
Along with the expenses debacle, this is just another example of how MPs and Senior Civil Servants choose to operate above the laws they impose on us.
- Hansel, London
Those that live by the sword.... Perhaps the press should investigate if anyone has been locked-up under this act introduced by this non-elected free loader. If another persons liberty has been taken away then so should hers.
- Gary, Brentwood
It is very clear that Baroness Scotland having been found to have committed a misdemeanour however small and stupid should resign.
It was another of these assinine laws which this government set up putting the onus on its citizens to comply with their inability to sort out its own border controls.It should not be upto the individualto have to act as an immigration official working for the Home Office by having to ask everybody one employs for proof of Citizenship. Imagine what would happen if Scotland were to get independence;the deportation orders would cause the country's judiciary services to grind to a halt.
Any government which can enact laws which sneers its own ministers should go immediatley to country to ask the electorate what they think.
- Alexis Dogilewski, London England
What is she waiting for, can she not take responsiblity for her own actions.
In the good old days, when honour meant something, our public servants knew what to do and when to do it.
She should have had the decency to do the honourable thing befoe the matter became a public issue.
Why hasn't she resigned already.
- Tony Heath, Godalming, Surrey.
Lets face it: we all the real reason why this woman hasn't been sacked already.
- Thomas, London
So, last week Brown backed her, this week he doesn't. You can rely on Brown for firm decisive leadership, not to mention wrecking the country.
- Albert Hall, Kettering
Oxymoron. The Webster Dictionary defines oxymoron as "a combination of contradictory or incongruous words".
Or perhaps a more up to date definition is Honor and Labour MP's/Lords.
- J R J, Glen Vine
The cleaner is married to an EU citizen. Although she is said to be illegally here at the moment it is likely that she will be allowed to stay here if the applications are made in the normal way. Of course Scotty should have seen quite easily in her passport that she had overstayed her student visa. The raid seems very over the top as there are thousands of people in this position and they are raided.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey
This case is (apparently) simple - The legislation she pushed through stated the PHOTOCOPIES or an electronic copy on CD-R should be taken of the documents and kept (there is no excuse for not doing this). If this was done she can provide them, if not then she is guilty, and as she pushed this legislation should resign.
- Jim, London
Peter Brown is completely right. Has this woman no humility, she should have resigned as soon as this came to light.
- Dannyp, Egham
She's a Labour MP surely all they're fit for are cleaning housework etc (or perhaps they can't even do that) too taxing on the brain. One thing for sure they're useless in Government.
- El Del, Valencia Spain
Its about time Gordon Brown resigned, he does NOTHING about Border Control. We have an 'anyone can come in policy' in place. Why should the Baroness be the scapegoat for Browns incompetence.He backed Gerry McCann and allowed his MPs to get away with making bogus expense claims. He intervened in the Gerry McCann affair when he should have kept out of it and neither he of his wife have been brought before a Court of Law. Is the Baroness not as well connected to Government as Gerry McCann? Let the racist PM return to Scotland we don't need him in No.10.
- Ann, London
Ignorance of the law is no defence under the law; any lawyer will tell you that, and it is not a new law at all, as already stated by other posters etc.
We have seen more new laws than ever under New Labour; and anyone committing an arrest-able offence is required by law to supply a DNA sample for the DNA database, a mug-shot, and fingerprints taken as well etc.
Not one MP has even been arrested for expense account frauds, or even questioned by the Met-Police over clearly committed frauds etc; and not one MP has had their DNA taken and stored on their own government DNA database, for any arrest-able offence etc.
By treating Baroness Scotland's clear breach of the law, which she oversaw into actual law, aided by the Government as well; as a misdemeanour or technical breach of the law, this is a clear intention on her part and the States part; that the Law and the State do not intend that any new laws or even old laws will apply to them ''themselves'' etc; these new laws and old laws are for the control and criminality of the people; not the control and criminality of the leaders of the people etc.
This same government DNA database, and controlled by the State; and supported by Baroness Scotland, is still holding the DNA of many thousands of innocent people; in defiance of European law court rulings; but it will never see the day that it holds Baroness Scotland's, or any other MP's; DNA.
Who today in the UK; can say the government is still honourable?
- Mickinlondon, london
Roz from France, how many British cleaners have you ever come across? I have had cleaners in the past and do now and they've always been polish and they do a fantastic job. Brits don't want to do such jobs they prefer to claim benefits.
- Pa, London
She should resign but won't. Brown could sack her but he hasn't got the guts. There is no honour amongst thieves.
- Roger, Winchester, England
Is there anyone in this administration with any dignity/scruples - obviously not - why has she hung on so long? She MUST go she now has NO credibility
- David, soton
The employer of Tonga shouls pay back the wonga !
- Ms Jeanette -Finchley, London
1) The woman clearly must be fined
2) As a close as possible to being the head of the legal system in the UK she must set an example beyond an ordinary citizen
3) Where any legal person at a very senior level transgresses any law, civil or criminal, and is shown to don so by a fine or jail they must resign that legal position as they have not followed the high standards they have imposed upon the nation
4) She must resign her seat in the Lords, she has brought shame on the House, brought her position into disrepute by showing she is above the law and reduced the integrity of the public that she serves.
- Jan, London
Teddy.grays Essex "I am sure she can manage a little light dusting and maybe use the vacuum cleaner once and a while...oh and pop down to the shops after work. You know live in the real world" Well Well Mr Teddy don't judge every body by your standards!we are not all peasants you know,and she is employing some body,my 2 cleaners are grateful for the money i pay them,if nothing else it supplements there meager pension.Cleaning and dusting might be all you got to do in your real world,but i have higher priorities in my real world.
- Kev, London-UK
No doubt when she is finally thrown out after clinging to the door frame of her office with her fingernails she will be announced as having acted with honour by resigning. Honour? A bit late for that!!!
- Thomas, London
I would have thought with her money lady scotland could at least have her teeth straightened!!
- General Lee'Wright, Communist Britain
Calm down peeps!! She will be vacating her post in the very near future. Her replacement has already been notified.
Now, what about paying the fine and repaying the countless thousands of pounds of allegedly inappropriate expenses?
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR
Why can't the Attorney General clean her house herself? I am sure she can manage a little light dusting and maybe use the vacuum cleaner once and a while...oh and pop down to the shops after work. You know live in the real world.
- Teddy, Grays, Essex
'The investigation is understood to have found that the minister committed a “technical” breach'. Sounds like the Downing Street spin machine being cranked up to its ususal level of doublespeak and obfuscation.
Either the Attorney General is in breach of the law that she helped pilot through Parliament, or she is not. As the Government's senior law officer, how can she possibly remain in office with any credibility should she be found to have broken the law?
I doubt this "technical" breach trick would be available to an ordinary employer ie one not a member of the Government.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK
It looks clear cut to me that Baroness Scotland will have to resign. But what about Baroness Warsi? How is that she is still in her post as a shadow minister for community cohesion? Domestic and social cohesion is a crucial issue for our country. Baroness Warsi appears to be a very unsuitable advocate for community cohesion, having divorced her husband and then married a man who divorced his wife with four children, when she was apparently unaware what the divorce papers meant.
- Nick Gulliford, Taunton UK
What has become of her low paid wage slave?
Has she been deported or has she RE-joined the illegal immigrant labour pool displacing legal workers as part of Labour's key economic lever to force down wages and halt inflation.
- michael mcgough, loughton,essex
Maybe she should play it safe next time and hire a British cleaner? Or would that cost too much, given they have to pay off ridiculously over-inflated British mortgages due to insufficient housing for all the people who want to live in Britain . . . ?
- Roz, France
Where was Border Control when this person got through the net? Gordon Brown needs to take responsibility for allowing illegal immigrants into this country. It is not the Attorney General's job to check whether her staff are illegal immigrants or not this is why we pay Border Control. If Brown can intervene and support Heart Spealists to return to Enland then he should be fair to the Attorney General and accept responsibility for his failure once again to keep Britain free from illegal immigrants.
- Ann, London
If you or I did this we'ed be fined; QUOTE: "The minister has come under fire since the law she helped push through Parliament makes clear that inadvertently employing an illegal worker is no defence."
If she had any morals or integrity as Chief law officer she would resign, but she won't will she?
- Peter Brown, Crawley
