"I am loathe to declare what is forming in my mind at this minute.
It is the unthinkable. It is the sudden collapse of the Blair administration, due to "loans for honours", possibly within three months. There is the distinct noise of rats deserting a sinking ship and more than one have already squeaked to the press."
Now even I don't think it sounds so crazy. oh, and I may have been a bit generous with the timescale.
July 12, 2006 at 9:45 PM
Anonymous
said...
I'm just a bit pissed of with all this. I had planned to win the lottery tonight, set myself up with a quick peerage and probably retire. Then all this blows up. I suppose I'll have to go to work as normal in the morning. Never mind at least I sleep easily, I might not be great but at least I'm honest.
Well done. Impressed by all the hard work you have put in..BUT the BBC claimed credit for it all on the 10 o clock news. Such intrepid reporters!
rather worried that yet another man chose to walk into a tree lined field and commit suicide!
Another job for the Whitewash Judge?
I also agree with an earlier comment that with Ian Blair up to his eyes in dung promises for the future will be made to the investigating officer! This lot will stop at nothing.
Perhaps honest parliamentarians will decide to 'oversee' the investigation. I believe it necessary!
WATCH your back!
July 12, 2006 at 10:26 PM
Anonymous
said...
This is now beyond a joke.
Are there enough honest Labour MPs left to make a vote of no confidence in Blair winnable?
July 12, 2006 at 10:35 PM
Anonymous
said...
Damn this is good news - I've come to it late in the day as I've been on a deadline, but YEEEHHHHAAAA - well done Guido.
BTW, am I given to understand that another potentially embarrasing chap for the USUK axis has just taken a one-way walk into the woods?
July 12, 2006 at 10:48 PM
Anonymous
said...
Newsnight also reporting Downing St expectations of interviews with some at Number 10 in the coming weeks....I'm sure our host has a few suggestions....
"where was Nick Robinson, the pundit who told us the police would go through the motions and the investigation would go nowhere, when the story broke? In Sheperds restaurant having a leisurely lunch..."
Right. When they go through the motions of charging the crook, putting him on trial, and producing the evidence to sentence him to an appropriate jail sentence, then and only then can you say that they are not goinig through the motions. Until then I will continue to believe that they are simply going through more rigorous motions than the usual whitewash...
July 13, 2006 at 12:11 AM
Anonymous
said...
'levy, v. . . b. To raise (a sum of money) as a profit or rent; 1496 W. PASTON in P. Lett. III. 469 For as moche as..my dettis cannot be redely levied. 1768 BLACKSTONE Comm. III. 419 To hold, till out of the rents and profits thereof the debt be levied.'
[OED]
July 13, 2006 at 12:50 AM
Anonymous
said...
I can understand now why Blair has been so reluctant to build new prisons. If he and his cronies end up in the Nick, there will be no prison beds left available. There was method in his madness.
July 13, 2006 at 1:35 AM
Anonymous
said...
No need for prisons... surely Blair is headed for St Helena in shackles before long? Better cancel that airport!
July 13, 2006 at 1:40 AM
Anonymous
said...
My client is completely innocent and this is all a hideous nightmare.
July 13, 2006 at 4:31 AM
Anonymous
said...
Lacking additional prison places, the vision of Blair and Levy sharing a cell and a bucket in the corner has its own quaint charm, don't you think?
July 13, 2006 at 6:55 AM
Anonymous
said...
Has anyone noticed? This is bearing more and more resembelance to Watergate.
How does one go about impeaching a British Prime Minister?
July 13, 2006 at 6:57 AM
Anonymous
said...
You may also remember that a few years ago it was revealed that the multi-millionaire Levy was paying less tax that the average part-time tea lady so he's no stranger to hiding money.
July 13, 2006 at 7:32 AM
Anonymous
said...
How does one go about impeaching a British Prime Minister?
Ask his Whips what they think they can tell Labour MPs to do
Once the police have 'evidence' they must caution once evidence that an offence MAY have been committed against the law they have to arrest. To bail is normal when still gathering evidence.
The net draws in!
July 13, 2006 at 9:18 AM
Anonymous
said...
One thing I can't grasp. He was not charged, but he was granted bail.
When-ah-wuz-a-lad (or at least, last time I looked) bail was needed only if an arrested 'suspect' was charged.
Bail was granted by a magistrate - not by police.
Have I blinked and missed our conversion to an a-la-carte 'we'll arrest and charge and hold or release you if and when we feel like it, sonny' police state?
Actually, there are two rather different meanings of the term "bail" - police bail, which is set by the Police (surprise!), placing a legal requirement on an individual to return to the station for further questioning, arrest, etc.. If one doesn't comply, a common-law criminal charge of "failing to surrender to lawful custody" can be brought (but that would be rare, as normally the original criminal charge suffices). Note that this includes being bailed to a court (one is not in the custody of the court until one's first proceedings actually start).
On the other hand, once the case is under way (that is, after the court has had at least one hearing), the court (rather than the Police) places a duty of bail upon the accused; if they fail to turn up at court for the next hearing, the accused can have a Warrant issued for them. The Warrant can either be "Not Backed for Bail", in which case they should be arrested on sight, and will almost always have a further charge of failing to surrender added to the case, or (funnily enough) "Backed for Bail" - quite rare, but merely suspends the charges for a later, undefined, time. Were the defendant to give a good reason beforehand for not turning up, however (sending apologies through lawyer, but are in hospital, for example), they would not have a Warrant issued, but just have the hearing adjourned - unless, of course, the judge (or, in the case of a Magistrates Court hearing not in front of stipes, the bench) felt that the suspect needed chivvying along to make sure they attended next time.
If I remember correctly, all this is under Section 1 of the Bail Act 1977, so it's not really that new (unless the days of your ladship are as in the past as Methusala), but I'm no lawyer, so may be egregiously wrong as well as horrendously long. :-)
July 13, 2006 at 9:23 AM
Anonymous
said...
Guido - Re the software to find the email trail across the government. I work in the City and have some, ahem, experience of the "missing" emails saga in some of the deals I have been involved in. Whilst I'm not a lawyer, it's my understanding that if emails have been deleted that are material or evidential to a criminal enquiry or are subject to discovery, their deletion is Perveting the Course of Justice. An organised effort to delete emails is Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice, and Inspector Knacker will be feeling collars for what is a serious offence that will warrant a custodial sentence. Fyi - I, my mates and the City lawyer types read the 1925 act some time ago to see if all this would have any market impact. I just re-read it this morning and found it to be surprisingly clearly written (written in an age where legal mumbo jumbo and obsfucation was not the norm) and based on the media-based evidence we see, we all concluded that Blair, Levy, Matt Carter and McCartney were all bang to rights and we are closely watching the yield on UK short gilts. I've tipped Nick Robinson off on the Beeb a number of times but to no effect i.e. when there was a rumor in the City that someone had been arrrested (that Headteacher)...but to no response or effect. Do you think we will have the delicious prospect of Blair doing the perp walk? If Blair is arrested or under suspicion the feeling here is that he'll have to resign immediately as that will affect the running of government, but then he always belived he was bigger that the government and might try to tough it out
July 13, 2006 at 9:58 AM
Anonymous
said...
I'm not normally a conspiracy theorist but.... The Nat West Three was just a dry run. Later today Tone will find an unexpected space in his diary to pop over to Washington and collect that Congresional Medal of Honour. Whilst he's aboard Blairforce one, there will be a cockup in the paperwork and his name will be found on the warrant. Naturally he will be bailed by the court in Texas, while its all sorted out (over the next couple of years), and will stay at GWB's ranch, whilst engaging in some lucrative speaking engagements.
Meamwhile, back at Blackfriars bridge, Sleazy Levy will be found with a note in his top pocket, explaining Roberto Calvi had always been an inspiration and role model for him.
Sleazy was actually fingered by Rosie, who offered Knacker a quickie (hey, its what she's used to), to bang him up, thinking it would take the heat off of her and Big John, so they could ride off into the sunset together.
Meanwhile, on a grassy knol, gay gordo waits , brooding.
July 13, 2006 at 10:07 AM
Anonymous
said...
If Blair is arrested or under suspicion the feeling here is that he'll have to resign immediately...
I'm sure that's right as he could not win a Vote of Cofidence in the Commons in that situation.
July 13, 2006 at 10:12 AM
Anonymous
said...
Deleted Emails can always be restored via "backup" tapes which are normally kept for a year. Unless they themselves go missing.
I believe this is the normal practice within any large IT Service Company.
Deleted Emails can always be restored via "backup" tapes which are normally kept for a year. Unless they themselves go missing.
I believe this is the normal practice within any large IT Service Company.
Emails cannot be deleted. Copies exist all over the place, esp. at your ISP. Even local copies on your hard drive, apparently deleted, can usually be recovered by Someone Who Knows What He's Doing. Since the tossers involved in this story are just that -- tossers -- they've probably "deleted" the incriminating stuff using their email clients rather than more robustly with File Shredder Pro or whatever it's called.
Shades of Gary Glitter.
July 13, 2006 at 11:47 AM
Anonymous
said...
The ISP (For internet email) or the "internal" email service provider was who I had in mind. :)
PC Harddrives can suddenly be reformatted, magnetically wiped or "trashed".
July 13, 2006 at 11:57 AM
Anonymous
said...
Anon,10:35 PM "Are there enough honest Labour MPs left to make a vote of no confidence in Blair winnable?"
Honest MP's???? Don't make me laugh! There is no such thing.
July 13, 2006 at 3:21 PM
Anonymous
said...
Wednesday July 12th's files do seem to have been smoked or summat..
July 13, 2006 at 6:53 PM
Anonymous
said...
It amazes me that the Ministers involved would be so stupid as to leave an email trail. I thought most of the Government's IT systems didn't work anyway?
33 comments:
That's one hell of a lot of work!
Oops posted too early.
I meant to say, absolutely amazing work Guido and hats off to you. I knew you were involved with this, but I had no idea how much work you put in.
You're a one-man task force against Labour Sleaze. Don't stop now!!
Good work Guido ! Someone's got to hold these shysters to account !
cf my comment on this blog last Saturday.
"I am loathe to declare what is forming in my mind at this minute.
It is the unthinkable. It is the sudden collapse of the Blair administration, due to "loans for honours", possibly within three months. There is the distinct noise of rats deserting a sinking ship and more than one have already squeaked to the press."
Now even I don't think it sounds so crazy. oh, and I may have been a bit generous with the timescale.
I'm just a bit pissed of with all this. I had planned to win the lottery tonight, set myself up with a quick peerage and probably retire. Then all this blows up. I suppose I'll have to go to work as normal in the morning. Never mind at least I sleep easily, I might not be great but at least I'm honest.
Come on Guido you are just an Apprentice
Prevention of Abuses
EDM 1604
08.02.2006
.
Well done. Impressed by all the hard work you have put in..BUT the BBC claimed credit for it all on the 10 o clock news. Such intrepid reporters!
rather worried that yet another man chose to walk into a tree lined field and commit suicide!
Another job for the Whitewash Judge?
I also agree with an earlier comment that with Ian Blair up to his eyes in dung promises for the future will be made to the investigating officer!
This lot will stop at nothing.
Perhaps honest parliamentarians will decide to 'oversee' the investigation. I believe it necessary!
WATCH your back!
This is now beyond a joke.
Are there enough honest Labour MPs left to make a vote of no confidence in Blair winnable?
Damn this is good news - I've come to it late in the day as I've been on a deadline, but YEEEHHHHAAAA - well done Guido.
BTW, am I given to understand that another potentially embarrasing chap for the USUK axis has just taken a one-way walk into the woods?
Newsnight also reporting Downing St expectations of interviews with some at Number 10 in the coming weeks....I'm sure our host has a few suggestions....
"where was Nick Robinson, the pundit who told us the police would go through the motions and the investigation would go nowhere, when the story broke? In Sheperds restaurant having a leisurely lunch..."
Right. When they go through the motions of charging the crook, putting him on trial, and producing the evidence to sentence him to an appropriate jail sentence, then and only then can you say that they are not goinig through the motions. Until then I will continue to believe that they are simply going through more rigorous motions than the usual whitewash...
'levy, v.
. . b. To raise (a sum of money) as a profit or rent;
1496 W. PASTON in P. Lett. III. 469 For as moche as..my dettis cannot be redely levied.
1768 BLACKSTONE Comm. III. 419 To hold, till out of the rents and profits thereof the debt be levied.'
[OED]
I can understand now why Blair has been so reluctant to build new prisons. If he and his cronies end up in the Nick, there will be no prison beds left available. There was method in his madness.
No need for prisons... surely Blair is headed for St Helena in shackles before long? Better cancel that airport!
My client is completely innocent and this is all a hideous nightmare.
Lacking additional prison places, the vision of Blair and Levy sharing a cell and a bucket in the corner has its own quaint charm, don't you think?
Has anyone noticed? This is bearing more and more resembelance to Watergate.
How does one go about impeaching a British Prime Minister?
You may also remember that a few years ago it was revealed that the multi-millionaire Levy was paying less tax that the average part-time tea lady so he's no stranger to hiding money.
How does one go about impeaching a British Prime Minister?
Ask his Whips what they think they can tell Labour MPs to do
Once the police have 'evidence' they must caution once evidence that an offence MAY have been committed against the law they have to arrest. To bail is normal
when still gathering evidence.
The net draws in!
One thing I can't grasp. He was not charged, but he was granted bail.
When-ah-wuz-a-lad (or at least, last time I looked) bail was needed only if an arrested 'suspect' was charged.
Bail was granted by a magistrate - not by police.
Have I blinked and missed our conversion to an a-la-carte 'we'll arrest and charge and hold or release you if and when we feel like it, sonny' police state?
Actually, there are two rather different meanings of the term "bail" - police bail, which is set by the Police (surprise!), placing a legal requirement on an individual to return to the station for further questioning, arrest, etc.. If one doesn't comply, a common-law criminal charge of "failing to surrender to lawful custody" can be brought (but that would be rare, as normally the original criminal charge suffices). Note that this includes being bailed to a court (one is not in the custody of the court until one's first proceedings actually start).
On the other hand, once the case is under way (that is, after the court has had at least one hearing), the court (rather than the Police) places a duty of bail upon the accused; if they fail to turn up at court for the next hearing, the accused can have a Warrant issued for them. The Warrant can either be "Not Backed for Bail", in which case they should be arrested on sight, and will almost always have a further charge of failing to surrender added to the case, or (funnily enough) "Backed for Bail" - quite rare, but merely suspends the charges for a later, undefined, time. Were the defendant to give a good reason beforehand for not turning up, however (sending apologies through lawyer, but are in hospital, for example), they would not have a Warrant issued, but just have the hearing adjourned - unless, of course, the judge (or, in the case of a Magistrates Court hearing not in front of stipes, the bench) felt that the suspect needed chivvying along to make sure they attended next time.
If I remember correctly, all this is under Section 1 of the Bail Act 1977, so it's not really that new (unless the days of your ladship are as in the past as Methusala), but I'm no lawyer, so may be egregiously wrong as well as horrendously long. :-)
Guido - Re the software to find the email trail across the government. I work in the City and have some, ahem, experience of the "missing" emails saga in some of the deals I have been involved in. Whilst I'm not a lawyer, it's my understanding that if emails have been deleted that are material or evidential to a criminal enquiry or are subject to discovery, their deletion is Perveting the Course of Justice. An organised effort to delete emails is Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice, and Inspector Knacker will be feeling collars for what is a serious offence that will warrant a custodial sentence. Fyi - I, my mates and the City lawyer types read the 1925 act some time ago to see if all this would have any market impact. I just re-read it this morning and found it to be surprisingly clearly written (written in an age where legal mumbo jumbo and obsfucation was not the norm) and based on the media-based evidence we see, we all concluded that Blair, Levy, Matt Carter and McCartney were all bang to rights and we are closely watching the yield on UK short gilts. I've tipped Nick Robinson off on the Beeb a number of times but to no effect i.e. when there was a rumor in the City that someone had been arrrested (that Headteacher)...but to no response or effect. Do you think we will have the delicious prospect of Blair doing the perp walk? If Blair is arrested or under suspicion the feeling here is that he'll have to resign immediately as that will affect the running of government, but then he always belived he was bigger that the government and might try to tough it out
I'm not normally a conspiracy theorist but....
The Nat West Three was just a dry run. Later today Tone will find an unexpected space in his diary to pop over to Washington and collect that Congresional Medal of Honour. Whilst he's aboard Blairforce one, there will be a cockup in the paperwork and his name will be found on the warrant.
Naturally he will be bailed by the court in Texas, while its all sorted out (over the next couple of years), and will stay at GWB's ranch, whilst engaging in some lucrative speaking engagements.
Meamwhile, back at Blackfriars bridge, Sleazy Levy will be found with a note in his top pocket, explaining Roberto Calvi had always been an inspiration and role model for him.
Sleazy was actually fingered by Rosie, who offered Knacker a quickie (hey, its what she's used to), to bang him up, thinking it would take the heat off of her and Big John, so they could ride off into the sunset together.
Meanwhile, on a grassy knol, gay gordo waits , brooding.
If Blair is arrested or under suspicion the feeling here is that he'll have to resign immediately...
I'm sure that's right as he could not win a Vote of Cofidence in the Commons in that situation.
Deleted Emails can always be restored via "backup" tapes which are normally kept for a year. Unless they themselves go missing.
I believe this is the normal practice within any large IT Service Company.
Deleted Emails can always be restored via "backup" tapes which are normally kept for a year. Unless they themselves go missing.
I believe this is the normal practice within any large IT Service Company.
Emails cannot be deleted. Copies exist all over the place, esp. at your ISP. Even local copies on your hard drive, apparently deleted, can usually be recovered by Someone Who Knows What He's Doing. Since the tossers involved in this story are just that -- tossers -- they've probably "deleted" the incriminating stuff using their email clients rather than more robustly with File Shredder Pro or whatever it's called.
Shades of Gary Glitter.
The ISP (For internet email) or the "internal" email service provider was who I had in mind. :)
PC Harddrives can suddenly be reformatted, magnetically wiped or "trashed".
Anon,10:35 PM
"Are there enough honest Labour MPs left to make a vote of no confidence in Blair winnable?"
Honest MP's???? Don't make me laugh! There is no such thing.
Wednesday July 12th's files do seem to have been smoked or summat..
It amazes me that the Ministers involved would be so stupid as to leave an email trail. I thought most of the Government's IT systems didn't work anyway?
Where does Nick Robinson have the right to drag the Liberal Democrats into the Levy situation on his blog.
But more worryingly why does the BBC not allow myself a Lib Dem candidate from last year to post corrective comments to that piece.
Is it cos I is a blogger?
Who is the fire-starter, the twisted fire-starter?