Gordon Brown Says Sorry

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Gordon Brown Says Sorry

Iain Dale 11:58 AM

Sky News are reporting that the Prime Minister has said "sorry" for the Damian McBride emails. Good. It's about time. I can't deny I am astonished, but it is the right thing for him to do and we should acknowledge that.

Damian Green Will Not Face Charges

Iain Dale 11:13 AM

So, Damian Green and Christopher Galley won't face charges. No great surprise, but the fact of the matter is, it should never have come to this. Leaving aside the conduct of the Police and civil servants over this for a moment, if The Speaker of the House of Commons had done his duty, Damian Green would not have been arrested in the first place. It is now time for MPs to stand up to The Speaker and hold him to account for his actions - or inactions.

The Home Affairs Select Committee and the Conservatives have maintained that civil servants exaggerated the national security implications of the leaks, and this has now been shown to be true. Both the Home Secretary and Cabinet Office Ministers must be held to account for their actions.

The Police acted rashly and immaturely. The arrest of a Member of Parliament was always going to be controversial, but the Police appeared blind to the implications of what they did.

The Speaker should now refer the whole issue to the Standards & Privileges Committee, as he should have done in the first place. And then allow a full parliamentary debate on the matter.

Parish Notice

Iain Dale 10:57 AM

I am sorry that I have been forced to reintroduce comment moderation. Those of you who read any of the threads last night will know why. During the course of yesterday evening, I received more than 40 - yes, 40 - phonecalls on my mobile phone, as well as emails and a bombarding of this blog from a single person. Various threats were made in those phonecalls. I just received another one threatening to launch a war in the comments of this blog - and worse. I have therefore no choice but to reintroduce comment moderation. I will try to approve comments as soon as possible, but it will inevitably disrupt the live nature of debate today.

UPDATE: I wasn't going to name the person involved, but I am afraid having received this email, I have no choice.

So he's now going to launch a spamming initiative against me or try to instigate a DOS attack? If this blog disappears today, you'll know why.

Ten Things You Will Never Hear on Smeargate...

Iain Dale 10:01 AM

Nadine Dorries - I'm very touched by the Prime Minister's words
Alex Hilton - Derek Draper has my full support
Sunny Hundal - I'm absolutely delighted the media ask Iain Dale on rather than me
Guido Fawkes - The Telegraph is my newspaper of choice
Damian McBride - I voz only obeying orders
Ray Collins - Derek Draper is welcome at Labour Party HQ anytime
Kevin Maguire - I voz only obeying orders
Charlie Whelan - My Union is 100% behind me
Tony Blair - I'm so sorry this has happened to Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown - Sorry

PS I did a 15 minute chat with Donal Blaney on his Blogtalk Radio show earlier this morning. Listen to it HERE.

Quote of the Day: Austin Mitchell

Iain Dale 9:17 AM

“Suicide may be the only answer. Though I will bet the bloody Labour Party has prohibited that on health and safety grounds, and that they won't be able to cremate the body because crematoria aren't allowed to smoke any more.” 
Austin Mitchell MP (Lab)

...after reading Dr Eamonn Butler's new book, The Rotten State Of Britain.