I have today sent the following to Tom Watson MP:
Dear Mr Watson,
This is a formal communication to you in your ministerial capacity. I write as a former senior civil servant and a life member of the FDA.
It appears to me that there is the clearest of prima facie cases that Mr Damian McBride has committed the criminal offence of misconduct in public office. There appears a strong prima facie case also against Mr Charles Whelan.
I believe that you have a ministerial duty to draw this concern to the attention of the appropriate police authorities so that an investigation may be undertaken. No doubt you will wish to consult the Cabinet Secretary, but in the case of a credibly alleged breach of the criminal law, not only of the Civil Service Code, I believe you are also under an obligation to consult the police.
Yours Faithfully,
Craig J Murray
Ends
The criminal case against McBride and Whelan is explained here:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2009/04/mcbride_whelan.html
Here’s another email scandal as presented on Daniel Hannon’s (UKIP)blog. This is surely a bigger scandal than McBride’s horrible little smears. Both these issues, however, reveal the poor character of so many of those who represent us.
Labour official resigns over email scandal, but the Brussels email scandal remains unreported
Posted By: Daniel Hannan at Apr 11, 2009 at 17:47:30
For a while, Guido’s tomahawk has been hovering over the head of Damian McBride. Now, he has brought it down with a savage Apache war-cry. It’s not the blogger’s first scalp, but there are few he will have enjoyed sawing off so much. As the Americans say, Guido, kudos to you. Incidentally, when he was being wheeled out to trash my recent speech in the European Parliament, Derek Draper explicitly denied having had any discussions at all with Damian McBride about these issues. Is he still making such a claim?
The story illustrates – yet again – how uninterested we are in Euro-atrocities. There will be a big row in tomorrow’s papers about l’affaire McBride. But I guarantee that there will be no fuss about the memo in the European Commission explicitly telling officials to disguise, in their emails, the extent that they are being lobbied by corporate interests. Its text is almost beyond parody. Having explained how to defy requests for information while remaining within the letter of the rules (for example, by denying that you have had representations from a named company when you have in fact had representation from a lobbyist acting on its behalf), it reminds Eurocrats that their emails might be published: “Don’t refer to the great lunch you have had with an industry representative privately or add a PS asking if he/she would like to meet for a drink.”
The memo is a grisly demonstration of how the Brussels system is designed to allow corporate interests to override the little man. So why is there not a greater scandal? Because it tells people something they already knew: that the EU is an anti-democratic racket.
Well done Craig.
I will be interested in any reply you might receive – any chance you could publish it here?
Legal requirements allowing, of course.
Let’s hope that some justice will be done here; but unfortunately the words”justice” & “Labour’ do not readily spring to mind as compatible.
Here’s another email scandal as presented on Daniel Hannon’s (UKIP)blog. This is surely a bigger scandal than McBride’s horrible little smears. Both these issues, however, reveal the poor character of so many of those who represent us.
Labour official resigns over email scandal, but the Brussels email scandal remains unreported
Posted By: Daniel Hannan at Apr 11, 2009 at 17:47:30
For a while, Guido’s tomahawk has been hovering over the head of Damian McBride. Now, he has brought it down with a savage Apache war-cry. It’s not the blogger’s first scalp, but there are few he will have enjoyed sawing off so much. As the Americans say, Guido, kudos to you. Incidentally, when he was being wheeled out to trash my recent speech in the European Parliament, Derek Draper explicitly denied having had any discussions at all with Damian McBride about these issues. Is he still making such a claim?
The story illustrates – yet again – how uninterested we are in Euro-atrocities. There will be a big row in tomorrow’s papers about l’affaire McBride. But I guarantee that there will be no fuss about the memo in the European Commission explicitly telling officials to disguise, in their emails, the extent that they are being lobbied by corporate interests. Its text is almost beyond parody. Having explained how to defy requests for information while remaining within the letter of the rules (for example, by denying that you have had representations from a named company when you have in fact had representation from a lobbyist acting on its behalf), it reminds Eurocrats that their emails might be published: “Don’t refer to the great lunch you have had with an industry representative privately or add a PS asking if he/she would like to meet for a drink.”
The memo is a grisly demonstration of how the Brussels system is designed to allow corporate interests to override the little man. So why is there not a greater scandal? Because it tells people something they already knew: that the EU is an anti-democratic racket.
Craig: in an earlier post (re the Quick affair) you wrote:
“It is very, very wrong ?” it violates the whole spirit of the constitution ?” for politicians to be involved in arresting people”.
Well done.
MJ
I am asking the ploice to be called in to investigate on suspicion of a crime being commited. It would be for the police to collect evidence and decide if anyone should be arrested.
Another angle to this being co-ordinated.
The fact that Labour in Scotland have been running their own innuendo and attack blog:
“You’ll also notice that the Labour Party is already using the “Red Rag” tactics in Scotland and already publishes an anonymous negative campaigning / dirty tricks blog ?” which is widely known to be written by current and former Labour spin doctors / staffers in Holyrood. You’ll also note that the prominent Labour blogs all link to it, because they think that these tactics are perfectly acceptable.”
Started in December 2008. One month after Red Rag was set up. It’s all looking a bit co-ordinated now. Or are we meant to believe it’s just all coincidence.
And former Labour spindoctor Mike Elrick started his in that key month of January 2009. But he now seems to be creating some distance from Damian.
‘GOEY, CRAIG – WOOT, WOOT!!’
Thanks once again on behalf of those who’d never get listened to.
But…I’m wondering if the police have sufficient staff to investigate this particular rabbit hole – nay, warren…
Craig: that was my point really. Perhaps you should be contacting the police directly rather than encouraging an MP to do so.
Excellent stuff Craig.
Isn’t it time someone did an expose of McBride’s influence in Labour’s negative Glenrothes Campaign?
MJ
I’ll do that too. But in terms of civil service procedure, Watson as the responsible minister is more or less obliged to pass on my complaint to the police, which is more likely to trigger some action.
Craig,
Yes Watson is more or less obliged to do so. However he could quite easily refuse to do so on the basis of his ‘opinion’ or ‘advice’. That’d lead to further exchanges seeking clarifications as to his reasons. I suspect he’ll prevaricate. Time is slowly running out for the Government (I use that term in its broadest sense). But tactically he has nothing to gain from an immediate referral. If they can hang things out until an Election then much of this becomes irrelevant.
Nonetheless, a very shrewd move on your part. Keep up the pressure.
Remember that the prosecution against Tony Blair in respect of the “Downing Street Memorandum” needs to be attended to if the police force is to retain any credibility and public confidence in the prosecution process is to be maintained.Maybe you need to send them a reminder.
Great stuff Craig.
Well done…
Earlier this afternoon, I wrote to my MP formally requesting that he acts on his constituents behalf and makes an official complaint to Tom Watson and asks the metropolitan police to investigate McBrides breach of the Civil Service code of conduct…
Just to be sure though, I also asked him at the next sitting, to make a point of order asking why the Prime Minister failed in his duty to act in accordance with the Ministerial Code of Conduct…
Let’s hope more do this…
If you are correct then the Police should extend their investigation to Draper and/or Whelan and/or Watson for the offence of “aiding and abetting” or procuring misconduct in public office, or for conspiracy to commit criminal libel.
The contrast with the Damian Green situation is stark as it does appear that he was arrested “on suspicion of aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office”.