Is Smith breaking the rules?
Peter Hoskin 6:17pm
(CoffeeHouse regular Tiberius asked that we write something on this, so here goes…)
Jacqui Smith’s created a bit of a political storm today, over her announcement that 300 extra police will be directed towards combating terror and radicalisation. The Tories claim this is in “blatant breach” of pre-election campaign rules. After all, most of the areas which would benefit from these police are up for grabs on May 1st. Are Labour naughtily splashing public cash to influence local voters, and thereby boost their poll results?
One indication of the Government’s intentions might be that there was no mention of these extra police in the recent National Security Strategy. This document was released less than a month ago, and was meant to be the definitive statement on the matter. Surely, if Smith’s has been a long-simmering plan, it would have received a paragraph or two. Instead, its absence suggests it’s been cooked up very quickly. Why the rush? Well, it’s hard not to come to the same conclusion as the Tories…
Previous
Comments
Faceless Bureaucrat
April 16th, 2008 6:59pmTiberius is spot on - NuLab developed a mindset a long time ago that whilst in Government they could do anything they wanted and ignore any rule or convention with impunity and get away with it. Those days, however, are now over and Smith's blatant attempt to buy votes in the forthcoming May Elections have been righly targeted for howls of protest by the Conservatives. Whether it will be reversed remains to be seen, but this is just one more 'nick' in the process of death by a thousand cuts that NuLab is now enduring...
THX1138
April 16th, 2008 7:23pmOh aren't we getting worried that Boris has blown it.
What a non story looks to me that Matt is getting worried that Boris will want his old job back on the 2 May.
Perry
April 16th, 2008 8:52pmMight that be because Mz. Smith and her minders have just acknowledged the need?
Craig R
April 16th, 2008 9:00pmWith this bunch, nothing surprises me any more. It annoys me that they've made me so cynical.
Simon Orr
April 16th, 2008 10:56pm'What a non story'
I'm struggling to think of anything MORE worthwhile for the media to publish than the government breaking election rules.
But then New Labour and their supporters don't have much care for the law.
David Lindsay
April 16th, 2008 11:46pmThe fact that this sort of thing can be used for this sort of purpose proves that it's all drivel really, designed to scare us into ID cards, prolonged detention without charge (not trial, charge), jury-less courts sitting in secret, and all the rest of the things that have been on certain wish-lists for ever.
You probably didn't believe the lies over Iraq - most people didn't. And even if you did, you have no excuse a second time.
Verity
April 17th, 2008 12:06amYou can never be too cynical or too rich.
Cindy
April 17th, 2008 5:15amEver since she said 'Gordon Brown is the best of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama combined', I am no longer interested in anything this woman says or does and certainly do not trust her judgement.
salieri
April 17th, 2008 8:39amPlease let's be accurate. It's the Government that is cynical - we are merely sceptical.
Oscar Miller
April 17th, 2008 8:57amOn he day Gordon Brown lectures the world about free, fair and democratic elections - Jacqui Smith lets us all know that as far as NuLab is concerned election rules are for other people.
THX1138
April 17th, 2008 9:30amSimon Orr- An incumbent government bends the rules to increase it's own electoral chances whatever next.
Tories have a brass neck on this one remember Dame Shirley and Wandsworth and much more recently the huge Tory electoral fraud in Slough
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7303606.stm
I don't remember reading much about that on this board.
Dam I agree with Verity again.
Max Kaye
April 17th, 2008 10:55amMore like 300 extra police to help her buy a kebab in London...
BTW, I'd like to retract any sexist or morphist comments I may have made about Jacqui Smith - it's become obvious to me that in view of the extreme security risks posed by living or working in London she's been wearing a stab vest or two under her mufti.
Nicholas
April 17th, 2008 3:10pmDreadful woman. Incredibly I agree with David Lindsay.
Martin Miller
April 18th, 2008 2:14pmThe fact that this sort of thing can be used for this sort of purpose proves that it's all drivel really, designed to scare us into ID cards, prolonged detention without charge (not trial, charge), jury-less courts sitting in secret, and all the rest of the things that have been on certain wish-lists for ever.
You probably didn't believe the lies over Iraq - most people didn't. And even if you did, you have no excuse a second time.