Comments on: Clare Short http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273 Every day the Prime Minister's Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as 'the lobby' for a topical chat, or 'briefing'. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:25:01 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: viz http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-4846 viz Tue, 14 Nov 2006 13:02:28 +0000 #comment-4846 She and all those who resigned before her - did they send any message to Blair? No! Mugabee shouldn't be blamed then. She and all those who resigned before her – did they send any message to Blair? No! Mugabee shouldn’t be blamed then.

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]]> By: Mike Gunnell http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-269 Mike Gunnell Fri, 05 Mar 2004 10:09:36 +0000 #comment-269 I notice with interest that one of the considerations as to whether to prosecute Clare Short or not is to see if it is in the publc interest to do so. Should that not read in the interest of the Prime Minister. I notice with interest that one of the considerations as to whether to prosecute Clare Short or not is to see if it is in the publc interest to do so. Should that not read in the interest of the Prime Minister.

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]]> By: Chris Lightfoot http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-67 Chris Lightfoot Mon, 01 Mar 2004 15:33:53 +0000 #comment-67 Ah, OK. That makes sense. Ah, OK. That makes sense.

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]]> By: Owen Blacker http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-66 Owen Blacker Mon, 01 Mar 2004 14:10:21 +0000 #comment-66 My understanding was that it was the AG deciding whether a prosecution would be "in the public interest", given that prosecutions under the OSA are likely to involve evidence that may be damaging to the interests of the UK (or, at the very least, expose operational information about our Intelligence Services). From that, I'd guess it's the AG acting in a political rôle, not just a legal one. Either way, though, it's somewhat implausible that the PM's feelings on the matter wouldn't be taken into account in such a decision, surely?  :o) My understanding was that it was the AG deciding whether a prosecution would be "in the public interest", given that prosecutions under the OSA are likely to involve evidence that may be damaging to the interests of the UK (or, at the very least, expose operational information about our Intelligence Services).

From that, I’d guess it’s the AG acting in a political rôle, not just a legal one. Either way, though, it’s somewhat implausible that the PM’s feelings on the matter wouldn’t be taken into account in such a decision, surely?  :o )

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]]> By: Chris Lightfoot http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-64 Chris Lightfoot Mon, 01 Mar 2004 09:05:25 +0000 #comment-64 Prosecutions under the Act require the consent of the Attorney General: <a href="http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890006_en_2.htm#mdiv9">http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890006_en_2.htm#mdiv9</a> but I'm not sure whether this means the AG acting in their political or legal capacity. If the former, then Blair certainly has a part in the decision, which makes sense. Prosecutions under the Act require the consent of the Attorney General:
<a href="http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890006_en_2.htm#mdiv9">http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890006_en_2.htm#mdiv9</a>
but I’m not sure whether this means the AG acting in their political or legal capacity. If the former, then Blair certainly has a part in the decision, which makes sense.

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]]> By: Ben Hammersley http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-62 Ben Hammersley Mon, 01 Mar 2004 06:51:04 +0000 #comment-62 It's not a matter for the Prime Minister to decide, if Clare Short is going to be prosecuted: there is a separation of the government and the judiciary. It's up to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide, surely? Put it another way: if the CPS want to prosecute under the Official Secrets Act, and No.10 stopped them from doing so for political reasons it would be arguably worse than the breach itself. It’s not a matter for the Prime Minister to decide, if Clare Short is going to be prosecuted: there is a separation of the government and the judiciary. It’s up to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide, surely?

Put it another way: if the CPS want to prosecute under the Official Secrets Act, and No.10 stopped them from doing so for political reasons it would be arguably worse than the breach itself.

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]]> By: Francis Irving http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-61 Francis Irving Mon, 01 Mar 2004 03:19:28 +0000 #comment-61 Interesting bit in this Guardian story, showing that Labour would do badly by punishing her. "The prime minister is understood to want to see his former cabinet minister punished, but is wary of turning her into a martyr." <a href="http://politics.guardian.co.uk/whitehall/story/0,9061,1159275,00.html">http://politics.guardian.co.uk/whitehall/story/0,9061,1159275,00.html</a> Interesting bit in this Guardian story, showing that Labour would do badly by punishing her.

"The prime minister is understood to want to see his former cabinet minister punished, but is wary of turning her into a martyr."

<a href="http://politics.guardian.co.uk/whitehall/story/0,9061,1159275,00.html">http://politics.guardian.co.uk/whitehall/story/0,9061,1159275,00.html</a>

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]]> By: Tom Loosemore http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2004/02/27/273/comment-page-1#comment-37 Tom Loosemore Sun, 29 Feb 2004 20:35:00 +0000 #comment-37 There's no way the Labour party will make a martyr of her by doing something so obvious as kicking her out of the party. Rather I think they'll be more subtle over time. see <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3494090.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3494090.stm</a> There’s no way the Labour party will make a martyr of her by doing something so obvious as kicking her out of the party.

Rather I think they’ll be more subtle over time.

see <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3494090.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3494090.stm</a>

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