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Attorney General Baroness Scotland was under growing pressure today after a ministerial aide quit over her breach of immigration law.
Sources confirmed that Labour MP Stephen Hesford, parliamentary aide to the Government law officers, stepped down this morning.
In a letter to Gordon Brown, he apparently said that although he had "great personal regard" for Lady Scotland, he felt she should have left her post as a matter of principle.
Meanwhile Lord Mandelson praised Gordon Brown's decision not to sack the Attorney General over her employment of an illegal immigrant.
The Business Secretary praised the Prime Minister for not “rushing to judgment” on revelations that Baroness Scotland had hired Tongan housekeeper Loloahi Tapui.
Lord Mandelson compared the row to his own sacking from the Cabinet, when Tony Blair fired him over allegations that he had been involved in getting a passport for two Indian billionaires.
Lady Scotland faced fresh pressure today amid criticism from other Cabinet colleagues and the threat of a possible investigation by the Bar Standards Council. The Attorney General was still battling to save her job after being fined £5,000 for breaching immigration law over the employment of Ms Tapui.
She dismayed Labour colleagues yesterday by comparing her “error” to forgetting to pay the London congestion charge.
But Lord Mandelson — First Secretary of State and Mr Brown's key adviser — pointed out that Mr Blair had acted too hastily in sacking him in 2001, only for a subsequent inquiry to clear him of lying. “You have to inform yourself properly before rushing to judgment. That's what the Prime Minister has done in [Lady Scotland's] case.”
But Lady Scotland's remarks, made within minutes of receiving Mr Brown's backing, came under fire. One senior Cabinet minister said: “She's toast.”
Another said: “This is a shockingly poor political judgment. Sadly, Gordon is a serial offender in that respect. It will come back to bite us. Even people in No 10 think it's a disaster.” Whitehall sources said Mr Brown had told the Attorney General that he didn't view the matter lightly “and neither should she”.
The Bar Standards Council has been asked to launch an investigation into the Attorney General's breach of immigration laws over her employment of Ms Tapui, who was today said to be on the run.
Reader views (74)
Whatever the reasons or excuses, Scotland should have checked the credentials of the employee. She fouled up big time and because of the position she holds she must therefore go. To compare this to a minor motoring offence
is ridiculous and only demonstrates her arrogance towards
the electorate.
- Malcolm May, Little Sandhurst, UK, 23/09/2009 21:02
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Let us re name the cabinet- the Mad Hatter's Tea Party starring Mandy in Blunderland, with a large supporting cast of Labour MPs
- Peter Mcmanus, London, England, 23/09/2009 20:09
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I have a cleaner and I have never asked for her papers. Nobody I know does. The legislation was probably not designed for this kind of situation. I am genuinely shocked at the negative and vicious comments made by contributors. I know Labour have been in power for perhaps too long and many want shot of them. Notwithstanding, this has too much of the feel of a lynch mob. Is the country that bitter?
- Sean, London, 23/09/2009 19:18
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With this way of thinking.If I'm caught by a speed camera I'll argue 'technically' I didn't see it so I'm above the law also.How do you expect people to respect the law if the chief lawmaker doesn't.The 'moral compass'is leading us no place.
- Barry C, West Sussex, 23/09/2009 19:16
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Brown is "standing by" the wretched woman, so she is doomed anyway.
She is typical Labour - cling to office regardless.
Brown talks about her "job"; we care about who is our attorney general for God's sake. Brown wants her to stay for political reasons only.
Don't forget the £170,000 expense fiddle the police are investigating on the woman's "main home". If the immigration thing is civil not criminal, for some reason, surely the fiddle is criminal.
- Michael, London, UK, 23/09/2009 18:59
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She has proven herself to be, at best incompetent, and at worst dishonest. -And obviously feels she is not yet well enough financially endowed to afford to do the honourable thing.
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland, 23/09/2009 18:12
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she is a legal adviser to the goverment and if she cant be trusted due to dishonesty the government cant rely on her advice- completely out of order for to remain attorney general- she should go and go now
- Paul., rickmansworth herts, 23/09/2009 18:10
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Blimey, is she still hanging in there? I thought she would have disappeared back over the border by now. Can't be long, surely.
- Jilly, London, 23/09/2009 17:42
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This Scotland creature made no attempt to report the illegal worker to the authorities before sacking her to make sure she did not go on the run. She was effectively accessory to the "crime" of the Tongan remaining in the country illegally. She was clearly hoping (fingers crossed and all that) that if she sacked her she herself would be off the hook. In other words she was trying to save her own skin rather than assist the Border Patrol. Surely she should be charged and brought before a court? The whole affair is actually despicable, and speaks volumes about the utter hypocrisy in NuLab.
- Sandy, Ealing, London, 23/09/2009 17:25
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It saying it was a 'technical offence', and 'error' or like 'forgetting to pay the congestion charge' she has done us all a huge service, illustrating the blase comtempt that we should all show for Nu-Labour's mountain of newly defined criminal offences. The only problem is that she can afford to hold daft law in comtempt whilst many poorer citizens cannot.
- David, London, 23/09/2009 17:25
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Listen up folks, this little piggy's goin' nowhere! That is not how things workin politics these days.
- Steve, Brentford, 23/09/2009 17:10
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With his track record, Mandelson might have been better advised to remain silent, unless of course his comments represent, in football parlance, "the board's absolute confidence in the manager"!
The Government's senior law officer has clearly missed the point. As a QC she should be well aware of the principle of equality before the Law. No matter that this may have been a "technical" breach, the perception exists that an ordinary citizen would not have been so leniently treated.
The Attorney General in particular has a responsibility to uphold the impartiality of the Law. For that reason alone she should as a matter of honour, reasign.
Perhaps the Bar Council will remind her of her responsibilities.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK, 23/09/2009 16:59
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Full credit to Stephen Hesford for resigning.
As for the ignorant and arragant Baroness Scotland - She was a Lawmaker but as a Lawbreaker - she should go.
- Jay, Southend, 23/09/2009 16:55
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Full credit to Stephen Hesford for resigning.
As for the ignorant and arragant Baroness Scotland - She was a Lawmaker but as a Lawbreaker - she should go.
- Jay, Southend, 23/09/2009 16:54
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I think she should have told the truth. She took the required photocopies but the cat ate them.
- Terry, Hennebont France, 23/09/2009 16:40
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presumably the only reason she has not yet resigned is that she is organising a huge payoff with a golden pension. once that is sorted, she will be off.
- Tony, middx uk, 23/09/2009 16:20
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And the big Broon Jobbie trots out the excuse that her legislation was designed to prevent. Just you try and claim you forgot a piddling little detail in a form to the tax authorities or some Town Hall jobsworth.
- Aylyn, 03189 Orihuela Costa, 23/09/2009 16:05
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Having seen the News and examined the commentary, I personally conclude:
1. She did employ an illegal immigrant.
2. It is doubtful that she saw her cleaner's passport, or properly examined other relevant documentation. A basic legal requirement that she introduced to the Statute. Lady Scotland's errors included ignorance and arrogance neither of which would be excusable in her Court.
5 As a prominant Law Maker and Law Breaker, pleading a feeble apology is pathetic.
The ONLY credit lies with Stephen Hesford who resigned his position
- Jay, Southend, 23/09/2009 15:49
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One should appreciate that the unduly harsh persecution of this poor woman could have unhealthy repercussions for our relations with Tonga and the Pacific Islands. Britain is becoming increasingly remote in the estimation of our Pacific friends.
- Geoff Herbert, Melbourne, Australia, 23/09/2009 15:41
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One should appreciate that the unduly harsh persecution of this poor woman could have unhealthy repercussions for our relations with Tonga and the Pacific Islands. Britain is becoming increasingly remote in the estimation of our Pacific friends.
- Geoff Herbert, Melbourne, Australia, 23/09/2009 15:40
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Britain now has an Attorney General with a criminal record!
Along with Italy, the UK is now the laughing stock of the world. No wonder President Obama has no time to meet with the clown Brown in New York.
- Candidly, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 23/09/2009 15:28
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John, Darby, UK. How cruel of you to compare Mandelson and Brown to Peter Brough and Archie Andrews - Archie would have made a much better Prime Minister than Brown!
- Phil, London, UK, 23/09/2009 15:19
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Leave the woman alone, we all mistakes. She should be fined like any other employer just because she is a politician doesnt mean that she isnt human. I am convinced that people dont want to see her doing well. She has my full support!!! Anyone that thinks labour are doing a bad job just wait and see what happens when david cameron gets his stinking hands on the country.
- Kayxxxx, London, 23/09/2009 15:18
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We are Governed by donkey's
- Anthony, uk, 23/09/2009 15:10
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If Baroness Scotland did not check the documents personally, she employs enough staff to undertake this task.
- Volpone, London, London, 23/09/2009 15:00
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A case of don't do as I do!
- Shallotman, Basildon, 23/09/2009 14:37
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In the grand scheme of things, who care about the marekting immunity of this government's member?
The focus should be on majors issues rather than how the Attorney General did not photocopy her cleaner's docs.
- Louis, London, 23/09/2009 14:12
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Blimey! A politician with a conscience. His boss won't follow - yet. Just wait until she answers questions about her £170k of very questionable expenses... "Oh, that! Just another "technical oversight. You know, the same as forgetting to pay a parking fine"....
- David Low, Cirencester, England, 23/09/2009 14:10
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Let's not forget that Mandleson has a totally different (& very personal agenda here). He knows full well that Brown is unelectable at the next election. His concern is that he does not want Brown to resign (thereby forcing an early General Election) until AFTER the Republic of Ireland has voted for a 2nd time on the new European "Constitution". He clearly believes that the Irish have been "bullied" into voting Yes this time around because they need EU support for their struggling economy. This will enable his REAL buddy (Tony Blair) to assume the mantle of EU President. Any election before then and he know the Tories would hold the Referendum that he and Blair failed to give the UK electorate despite a clear manifesto pledge.
- Malcolm, London, 23/09/2009 14:00
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You really know you are in trouble when Mandelson gives you his backing.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 23/09/2009 13:43
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Either;
1. The cleaner's documents show she wasn't entitled to work here, so Scotland's claim that she checked but didn't photo copy doesn't hold true
Or
2. The cleaner had good forgeries
Or
3. The cleaner's documents have mysteriously disappeared
Its got to be 2. or 3. otherwise Scotland would have gone already. Presumably this is what the UKBP ongoing investigations are about?
- Mark,, Edinburgh, UK, 23/09/2009 13:35
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O what a suprise move by the Labour party and Brown (NOT).
- Brandon Thomas, SW7, 23/09/2009 13:28
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The only possible comment on that, delivered by another Mandy, is "Well, he would, wouldn't he?"
What is more predictable than one devious person trying to justify another devious crony?
VOTE TORY, everyone, PLEASE!
- Sidney Marks, London, UK, 23/09/2009 13:08
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Alistair Clark, you miss the whole point. It was Baroness Scotland who ushered in the new law which states that ignorance of the legal status of an employee is no defense in law. That summary justice will be issued. As it stands, it's for the employer to make all the checks to ensure legality. After two recent prosecutions of Indian and Pakistani gangs who issued tens of thousands of false papers, IDs and passports in the UK, it's well known that that's just the tip of the iceberg. There is a vast lucrative trade in false documents. This law was perhaps a hastily draconian, lazy way of dealing with these massive problems. It puts all the onus on the employer. Seems like she's being hoisted by her own petard.
- Stephen M., London, 23/09/2009 12:41
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This woman lacks class, dignity and honour. Otherwise she would go her own accord and not wait for the ridiculous Brown to sack her. Can you imagine the laughter every time she tries to pass new laws? She makes me embarrassed. Can she not see it is all over. Bye bye.
- Jilly, London, 23/09/2009 12:34
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'Do any of you know how hard it is to get good, reliable domestic staff?
- Charles, Kennington'
Any hardness is simply a reflection of the wage offered for the job: if employers need to compete for labour, the price of that labour goes up until people want to do that job.
I'd love to know how Baroness Scotland was unable to find a British person to employ: the hourly rate might be an indicator.
- Mdj E10, london uk, 23/09/2009 12:21
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If a McDonalds employed an illegal immigrant then the manager would get the sack. This lady made the law. Thus she should go. By the way I recall a "slight" problem over expenses. Like a "congestion charge fine" what planet are these people on? Plant "Broon". One law for "them" another for the rest of us.I seem to recall Labour were for the "working man". Not anymore it seems.
- Jim, London, 23/09/2009 12:16
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Does it not tell you something about the ineptitude
of our current lawmakers that you can get fined £5000
for not making photocopies?
Or indeed were the photocopies destroyed before the Border Agency investigated, after she checked and found they were
inadequate?
Either way she has to go along with the rest.
Roll on the General Election and oblivion for this bunch of charlatans.
- Barney, Guildford, 23/09/2009 12:14
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The sheer arrogance of this government is totally beyond anything you would have thought a few years ago.They think they are above the law.This woman broke the law,a law she help bring in but she,Brown,Mendelson think that the Labour Party is above it.
The sooner they go the better,they have brought the country,the law,the parliamentary system into disrepute.
Shocking.
- Grumpy As Hell, wimbledon, 23/09/2009 11:56
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One unelected minister defending another unelected minister. Sack the both.
- Mick, London, England, 23/09/2009 11:55
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Well, after all Mandelson is an expert on resignations for wrong doing. It comes as no surprise that this shameless charlatan has no concept of Baroness Scotalnd's behaviour. He is without any form of decent public behaviour. I am not sure what it takes for a Labour MP or holder of high office to resign. They cling on to dear life to the trappings of state at taxpayer's expense.
- Stephen Rothbart, Prague Czech Republic, 23/09/2009 11:54
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Do any of you know how hard it is to get good, reliable domestic staff?
- Charles, Kennington, 23/09/2009 11:36
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A dinner lady gets the sack for alerting parents to the fact that their child has been savagely bullied by children in the playground and this Scotland woman gets off scot free,albeit with a pathetic fine, for employing an illegal immigrant. You don't have to be a genius to realise which is the greater crime. The double standards under this government are mind blowing and disgusting - they certainly know how to look after their own.
- Laura, Ashtead, 23/09/2009 11:30
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Everything about the Liebour party absolutely STINKS !!!
- Kev, st albans, 23/09/2009 11:17
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Mandelson is right - assess the facts first. Watching the 10pm News last night, I began by thinking that Baroness Scotland should resign, but changed my mind because of the following facts:
1. She did not knowingly employ an illegal immigrant.
2. She checked all the right papers.
3. She examined her cleaner's passport, a letter from the Home Office, her P45 and references from past employers, as well as her National Insurance documents. Lady Scotland's error - and breach of the law - was not to make any copies.
Should we insist that a politician resign because they forgot to photocopy something? If so, then what kind of politicians will the UK end up with in the long run? Either pure saints or cynical devils, but not the representative 90% of us in between, so essential for democracy.
The other lesson is that politicians need to make workable laws.
- Alistair Clark, Bristol UK., 23/09/2009 11:04
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Sorry Medlesome Blair was right in sacking you as is Brown wrong in not sacking Scotland.
- Tojo, Hythe, 23/09/2009 11:00
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Baroness Scotland should be taking the High Road. She paid immediately proving it was small change to her a trivial matter. Ordinary people do not get the same slap on the wrists she has received. Her position is untenable. Gordon and his cronies days are numbered. And pray tell us whats happened to the Housekeeper Still here? She should be sent back to Tonga. Shes married to a solicitor lets hope he pays for her legal costs and not the taxpayer. Im looking forward to New Labour and their pre-wake sorry conference. Meanwhile Baroness Scotland its time to go.Goodbye
- Patrick Mc Crossan, Birmingham, 23/09/2009 10:56
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HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD.
The chief justice has blatantly broken a law she passed through parliament.
IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO DEFENCE.
IT IS A NATIONAL DISCRACE
In the old days an m.p with any shred of dignity would have taken aloaded pistol and blewo ut what they had left of their brains.
MR ( I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT JUSTICE) PASTRY
- Mr Pastry, london, 23/09/2009 10:56
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What a carry on!. We now have 3 politicians involved, Baroness Scotland, Meddlesome Mandelson and McBroon, and the common denominator is, is that none of them were ever elected to the well paid Government positions they all occupy.
- Paddy, Banstead, Surrey, 23/09/2009 10:49
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Surely, if she checked the housekeepers documents she would have seen that the woman was in the country illegally.
- Patricia, London, 23/09/2009 10:44
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We commit a crime - ministers make a technical error.
We get a fine - ministers pay an administrative penalty.
And, come to think of it, what does she have to do with Scotland? We have had a bad enough press recently...
- John Maloney, Biggar UK, 23/09/2009 10:35
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A slap on the wrist for a serious lapse in judgement and protocol, and another illegal on the run. The numpties in government have had their time, it's a shame the elctorate can't call an election before these people inflict any more damage on the country.
- Adam, London, 23/09/2009 10:33
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Her arrogance is staggering - and Brown's and Mandelson's support for her predictable. I await with interest to hear her "excuse" for wrongfully claiming £170,000 of tax payers' money for a non-existent/non essential "second home". Will she claim that this too was an oversight? If this "ignoble" woman won't step down then the matter needs to be referred to the Law Society/Bar Council.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 23/09/2009 10:29
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The last time I saw anything resembling the relationship between Brown and Mandelson was many years ago; their names were Peter Brough and Archie Andrews.
Do you remember them?
- John, derby UK, 23/09/2009 10:15
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Well we all know the moral standards of Ms Mandleson, sacked twice from the govt. Why on earth should anyone listen to this duplicitous creature? He just lies his way out of problems and excels at fooling the public with his deceptions.
- Margy, London, 23/09/2009 10:14
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cite at election time when those that are elected seek to be re-elected.
I think its a bit rich that an un-elected Mandleson should support a prime minister that was not voted into office by the English public when her refuses to sack an unelected officer of government.
That’s 3 unelected people that make laws that affect our daily lives and combine together to refuse sanctions that call for the resignation of the person that brought in the law that she broke.
Now I don’t know about you, but I like to think that government in all it forms represents the highest standards of office and sets an example to the nation to follow. I also like to think that the people that set these standards are elected to their office by the people they seek to control and finally I would rather like to think that a socialist party follows socialist principles not their own self interest
Ant that for the first time in my life is the reason I will not be voting Labour at the next election.
- Jimmy, Essex, 23/09/2009 10:06
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So we have a twice disgraced unelected peer praising the actions of a cowardly, lying, unelected prime minister who failed to sack a disgraced unelected peer.
What has this once great country come to.
Roll on the General Election........LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK.
- Dcl, harrow, 23/09/2009 10:03
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In a good transparent system of law those that create or are held to account to uphold the law should receive the maximum punishment at all times.
If this was truly the case Baroness Scotland the Attorney General has created the criteria that no mere mortal in a similar situation should be punished half as much as her. Also the excuse as quite often by those now in parliament that this was a nothing more than an ‘error’ should also be accepted by the courts as a reasonable and plausible excuse for anyone breaking the law.
Our Attorney General has set out the benchmark for everyone to follow.
- Ian, Reading, England, 23/09/2009 10:03
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The PM should not sack her. She should stand down as she has brought disgrace to herself, the government and her country.
- Dannyp, Egham, 23/09/2009 10:00
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Whilst I am no Gordon fan, the Scots have had a number of English idiots foisted on them for centuries. Normally when people are criticised and their country is included its called racism, but it seems to be considered ok in relation to Scotland. I am confused.
- Karen, Glasgow, 23/09/2009 10:00
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"It's like driving into the City and not paying the congestion charge. It's not a criminal offence"
Oh well, that's okay then, it's not as though the justice minister has committed a crime, it's just a civil offence breaking a law that she herself brought in. Bye love.
- Bob, Cheam, 23/09/2009 09:42
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And she is the most senior law officer in England & Wales? God help England & Wales!
- Alan, Chigwell., 23/09/2009 09:42
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Did Baroness Scotland pay the lady's National Insurance and the Minimum Wage? The Attorney General has shown poor judgement. Clearly, Baroness Scotland did not check the lady's documents and the perception (or reality depending one's views) has been created there is one law her while another for the rest.
- Andrew, London, 23/09/2009 09:41
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I think this lady has no choice but to resign her post. Had this been anyone other than her good self, I suspect they would have had the book thrown at them! Stinks of double standards and rank hypocracy.
- Goggs, London, 23/09/2009 09:38
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That would be Immigration Minister Phil Woolas who got the Gurkha issue so badly wrong. Maybe he should resign as well. Baroness Scotland is the Attorney General. She and everyone else in government should, if anything, be held to a higher standard than the man in the street.
Roll on the General Election. The Augean stables that are this Parliament are overdue for mucking out!
- Edward Thompson, Bedfordshire, 23/09/2009 09:31
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The sheer arrogance of this women is mind blowing. Comparing this serious offence to forgetting to pay your congestion charge and saying it was only a technical matter of not taking a photocopy. If she showed more contrition their could be a case for leniency, but now she should be thrown out like the rest of the Labour incompetants.
- Ian Conner, Lingfield, Surrey, 23/09/2009 09:27
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Her complacency and arrogance are breathtaking.
I hope McBruun leaves her in post until the election as a beacon of all NuLabor stand for.
- Mark Myword, London, 23/09/2009 09:06
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This will be laughed at all over the world - yet another reason to mock the UK - she did wrong - she must have known the requirements - she drafted them/was involved in drawing them up - this is incompetence of the highest order
- David, soton, 23/09/2009 09:01
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Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said "she didn't knowingly or intentionally mislead or break the law, and surely in this country we should allow that". Quite a few motorists didn't knowingly break speed limits and took steps to check speed limits, but due to a lapse of concentration commited an offence,that didn't prevent them from losing their jobs. They didn't makr the law either. If knowingly or intentionally is her defence then half the people who pass through our judical system are innocent as well, so how about pardoning them.
Oh, and speaking to the cabinet secretary for his view, is hardly impartial advice.
It is up to her as to the course of action she takes, but at the moment she should have a word with Gordon Brown, they seem to be sharing the same moral compass, and it appears to be broken.
- Alan, carlisle uk, 23/09/2009 08:44
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I would have thought that anyone working for our government or it's people were checked by our security people!
- Susan, Croydon UK, 23/09/2009 08:17
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It's laughable. You couldn't have made this up. She should practice what she preaches and set an example by resigning. Time to collect your P45.
- Frank, Copenhagen, Denmark, 23/09/2009 08:17
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On the contrary, this BARONESS (appointed by a socialist New Labour politician!) should be seeking fresh employment. But it won't be easy for her, with the cold realisation that her anticipated gravy-train career path has abruptly ceased.
- Ted, London, 23/09/2009 08:12
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The English have had a dour Scot foisted upon them for 2 and 1/2 years without any say in whether they think he is suitable for the job, and indeed given recent events, he has indubitably outstayed his welcome.
- John Bloomfield, Twickenham, 23/09/2009 07:49
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This "Lady's" arrogance is breathtaking.
ONE LAW FOR JOE PUBLIC AND A DIFFERENT LAW FOR THOSE WHO MAKE THE LAWS.
IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS THIRD WORLD BANANA REPUBLIC POLICE STATE UK.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 23/09/2009 07:38
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