Cash for peerages arrest
 

A woman i've never heard of has been arrested and questioned over the whole cfp thing.

I suppose its quite amusing to foreigners that whilst in america a scandal surrounds the outing of a CIA operative, in britain our socialist government has been selling peerages. The thing of interest to me is that in both cases its the 'aides' taking the flak. Surely the president and the pm knew what was going on, and if they didn't id really like to know more about all the power plays that occur behind the scenes. Its like court intrigue behind the king's back.

Who is this bint tnf? i gather shes important but what did (does she) do?

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

she's one of blairs aides
Clearly shes a filthy filthy woman though, you'd have to be to work for him :D
also its amusing with this recent saudi arabia/BAE bribary probe thing which the blair admin not so silently dropped before fingers pointed at them

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

Oh and considering this is anything likely to actually happen?

edit beaten by phil over the above

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

yahwe im a little confused, could the AG stop any prosecution? and what role would he have played in the bae affair?did the prime minister order him to stop, was it a joint decision, who answers to whom?

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

Yep he can stop any prosecution as he acts as final arbiter of 'public interest'. Obviously this is more balanced than it sounds.

But (and do correct me if i'm wrong) this wasn't a prosecution was it? It was just an investigation; although the same principle would apply.

The decision would have to be the AG's as representitive of the Crown - the sovereign, queen in parliament etc ... As for what actually happened no one can know until 50 years (or 60 if they slap national security provisions ... or possibly never if it's really serious) when the relevant documents are released.

EDIT: regarding international trade generally there is a need for balance between idealism and realism. It's always a personal choice whether to be whiter than white or morally pragmatic. No one get's up in the morning thinking "oh what a lovely day it is to bribe saudis". But the fact is that is how the saudi system works you can either engage with it or lose out. It is a personal moral decision where we stand but moral puritans do tend to be an awful lot poorer than moral pragmatists ...

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

Who gets to release the files? If the tories won the next election could they expose any dodgy dealings to mark Labour at the following election?

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

How does his job fit in with UK policy? The AG gave advice to the pm regarding war in iraq, does that mean he takes precedance over those that do the equivalent of his job in scotland or NI?

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

Stories like this will only encourage apathy in voting in general/by elections...It is seriously putting me off updating my details on the voting roll from recently moving house for example.

I know it wont be the first it wont be the last in dodgy political dealings.
The again this what happens when there are people in "privileged positions" and arent (truely at best) accountable.

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

that would be a criminal offence ...

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

the AG (for england and wales) is required to give legal advice to the cabinet. the AG for Scotland to the Scottish Executive and the AG for NI to the Stormont equivalent (if there is one).

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

relevant bump, Yahwe does the BBC injunction apply to scotland? I assume it does but i don't understand which bit of the reserved matters it comes under. Possibly relevant link.

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

As its a prosecution under the national criminal law, yes.

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

Is T&F a filthy, filthy woman as well? Or does being more remotely involved with TB make him something else?

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

thank god for the injunction of everything would have been sunk (bloody press officers at no. 10 trying to be clever!)

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

The guardian has apparently escaped an injunction. Assuming that there wasn't enough evidence for prosecution in relation to cfp itself, can anyone still be convicted for attempting to pervert the course of justice when no crime has been committed?

Re: Cash for peerages arrest
 

yes