Tory shadow minister Damian Green arrested after obtaining leaked documents
Conservative shadow minister Damian Green has been arrested after obtaining leaked Whitehall documents.
Mr Green, who is the shadow immigration minister, was arrested at his home in Kent by counter-terrorism police officers.
The arrest follows a series of leaks to the Conservatives about Government policy, including a sensitive memorandum from the Home Office's most senior official on crime figures earlier this month.
David Cameron, the Conservative leader, is said to be "extremely angry" about the arrest and has privately accused the Government of "Stalinesque" behaviour.
Mr Green is understood to have been arrested at lunchtime today and is still in custody. He has not been charged.
Green has been arrested after obtaining leaked Whitehall documents. Police searched his family home and his office in the House of Commons.
He was arrested for "aiding and abetting misconduct in public office".
It is claimed that nine counter-terrorism officers were involved in the arrest.
Mr Cameron has pledged his full support for the shadow immigration minister. In a statement he said: "Disclosure of this information was manifestly in the public interest. Mr Green denies any wrongdoing and stands by his action."
However, the arrest of such a senior Conservative figure who hopes to become a Home Office minister will embarrass the opposition. He is now likely to face pressure to resign from the Tory front bench.
Government sources also believe that sensitive information from the Treasury, including confidential announcements in the pre-Budget report, was leaked to the Conservatives.
In February this year, Mr Green criticised the Government over leaked documents at the Home Office.
He said: "Ministers like to talk tough about cracking down on employers but it is clear that the system is failing in our most sensitive buildings. What makes this even worse is that ministers' first instinct was to cover it up."
An alleged "whistleblower", thought to be a male Home Office official was arrested 10 days ago.
It is understood that the inquiry is focusing on four Home Office documents allegedly obtained by the Conservatives. Last November, documents from the private office of Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, were leaked to the opposition.
They showed that ministers had known for four months that thousands of illegal immigrants had been cleared to work as security guards but had not told Parliament.
Other documents included information about an illegal immigrant working at House of Commons and a list of Labour MPs preparing to vote against the Government's anti-terrorism measures.
Tory sources angrily pointed out that the police move came after Parliament rose for a five-day holiday.
Had the Commons been sitting, they said, MPs could have immediately raised the matter with the Speaker.
The police search of Mr Green's office had to be authorised by the Serjeant at Arms, who answers to the Speaker.
Mr Green’s constituency office was also searched.
The Consequences of the Arrest of the Ashford One
Iain Dale 10:00 PM
It's always dangerous to comment on breaking news stories. The full facts are rarely known, but in the last half an hour quite a bit of information has emerged, which should give all those who cherish our freedoms and democracy great cause for concern.At 2pm today counter terrorism police arrested Damian Green at his constituency home in East Kent. He was brought to London and currently is detained awaiting interview. It is now 9.43pm and seven hours after his arrest, he has, apparently, still to be questioned. These are the tactics of a totalitarian state. According to reports, he was arrested for "aiding and abetting misconduct in public office". I'm not sure which law pertains to this. Perhaps readers can enlighten us.
His "crime" has been to reveal Home Office statistics and misconduct which they tried to cover up. If it is now a crime for a politician to do this sort of thing then just think how many other people should have been arrested - Robert Peston being a good recent example. What about government ministers who relished leaking information about the PBR?
One of the most disturbing aspects of what we know so far is that the Police were permitted by the Serjeant at Arms and The Speaker to search Damian's House of Commons office. Outrageous. I would guarantee that if Parliament had been sitting, they would never have dared. Their entry would have been barred. One MP I have spoken to tonight said that he would have physically barred their way and shouted for help to assist him in preventing their entry.
The general public should be appalled at these developments, as should the media. I am disturbed that both Sky News and the Telegraph are already speculating that Damian Green's position as Shadow Minister is under threat. They should concentrate on the wider implications of this. If Green can be arrested by counter terror police, what about the journalists who then reported on the information Green allegedly gave them (detailedHERE)? First they came for the politicians - then they came for the journalists. It might be a well worn cliche, but there is a serious point to be made.
There is no way that this arrest could have happened without the involvement of Government ministers. We need to know who instigated it and if the Prime Minister, Home Secretary or Justice Secretary authorised it. One has to assume that Jacqui Smith was the lead Minister.
If the Government feels unconstrained about invoking anti terror legislation and deploying counter terror police at a whim, on issues completely unrelated to terrorism, where exactly are we heading?
We don't yet live in a Police State, but one be forgiven on nights like this from wondering if we are headed that way.
Damian Green arrested, Conservative spokesman saysPosted By: James Kirkup at Nov 27, 2008 at 20:53:21 [General] [ 8 comments ] | ||
Posts
Arresting opposition MPs. So it's not just the economic policies of Zimbabwe that Gordon Brown's adopting.
kaytie09:09 PM GMT
He probably told the truth regarding immigration.
manic mikeA hanging offence for any politician these days.He would have been better served scrounging a few quid off some wanabee member of the House of Lords.
Strange that all this intrigue seems to have re-ignited since the return of Mandy & Cambo dontcha think?
09:14 PM GMT
"Strange that all this intrigue seems to have re-ignited since the return of Mandy & Cambo dontcha think?"
kaytieAlso strange that the police felt too intimated to arrest any minister over the numerous and obvious breaches of party funding laws, yet they don't feel in the slightest worried at arresting opposition MPs.
Actually, since this is one of the hallmarks of a police state, and we've already tolerated many others, perhaps it's not so strange.
09:24 PM GMT
Well now what do you know? What will David say?
True Belle09:27 PM GMT
Iain Blair (of the met police) is the head of the Gestapo, Do they have gas chambers yet ?
bananasfk09:28 PM GMT
HackneyIs he good man or baddie ?
09:30 PM GMT
The Conservative Party has issued the following statement:
James Kirkup"We can confirm that Damian Green was arrested earlier today in connection with his work as Opposition spokesman for immigration.
"Mr Green was arrested in Kent and taken for questioning at a central London police station.
"Officers from the Metropolitan Police also entered the House of Commons to search Mr Green's parliamentary office.
"His home and constituency office were also searched.
"As shadow immigration minister, Mr Green has, on a number of occasions, legitimately revealed information which the Home Office chose not to make public.
"Disclosure of this information was manifestly in the public interest.
"Mr Green denies any wrongdoing and stands by his actions."
And in another statement, the Metropolitan Police said:
"A 52-year-old man was arrested in Kent shortly before 1400 today. He has been taken to a central London police station where he will be interviewed by detectives.
"The man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office and aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office.
"Search warrants have been executed at: a residential address in Kent; a residential address in west London; a business premises in Kent; a business premises in central London.
"The search at the residential address in west London has concluded - the other searches continue."
That's all for now, folks.
09:32 PM GMT
Kaytie,
manic mikeIt has the Prince of Darkness prints all over it.Plus the other useless ex top cop Blair has some scores to settle.
Obviously not content with his massive pension,pay off etc.I don't recall anything much regarding the peerage scam.Whatever happened with that weasel faced business chap who was chucking loads of money at Nu Lab.I can't recall his name now,but he made a lot of money out of the whole charade apparently.How very nice for him.
09:37 PM GMT