Ken Clarke in the firing line
James Forsyth 4:45pm
There’s an intriguing pre-conference story in the Mail on Sunday today. The paper reports that:
Clarke’s liberal views on criminal justice certainly are infuriating his colleagues. Allies of Theresa May have been heard to complain that "Ken is going to send the crime rate soaring and we’re going to get the blame." Osborne is said to worry that Clarke’s plans risk jeopardising the Tory’s status as the party of law and order.“Ken Clarke faces a whispering campaign by allies of David Cameron and George Osborne to move him from Justice Minister because of his ‘disastrous’ views on law and order, it was claimed last night. Conservative MPs say Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne are ‘ frustrated’ by Mr Clarke’s refusal to take a tougher line on key issues such as prison sentencing.”
But the problem for the leadership is not only that Clarke has Lib Dem support for his policies but also that he knows this is his last big job in politics. Colleagues say that Clarke is completely intellectually convinced of his case and isn’t interested in peoples’ objections.
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Bloody Bill Brock
October 3rd, 2010 4:59pm Report this commentI personally disagree with Kenneth and not for the first time. However, here we have a very senior (in every sense) Tory with very liberal attitudes about a matter which LDs really care about. If this is a price we have to pay, to get the kind of support we need in other area's, well so be be it.
What a shame, if say Michael Howard was in the job and his (to me and those like me) policies were great, but causing damaging rows every week with our sandal wearing brothers and sisters.
In2minds
October 3rd, 2010 6:43pm Report this commentKen Clarke is not indispensable, perhaps not even very good. Trading on his 'experience' has its limitations. He's also looking like Stephen Fry's elder brother and we can do without that!
justathought
October 3rd, 2010 6:50pm Report this commentThe cost of building and maintaining every prison place is £170,000 and on top of that it costs another £41,000 per prisoner per year. This is more than we spend on housing and caring for the elderly and disabled.
Ken Clarke knows that many are in prison for nov violent or drug offences. There is a sound argument for saying that the £41,000 cost per prisoner could be better spent for the NHS drug treatment and rehabilitation.
Under Labour the cost of Civil Legal Aid has risen to £900m, the highest per capita in Europe. Ken has promised reform of this which is essential if the other government departments are to be able to implement new polices.
I really hope that Ministers do not start undermining each other by briefings, letters and leaks and rumors.
ROJ
October 3rd, 2010 8:23pm Report this comment"Clarke ... isn’t interested in peoples’ objections". Ken?? Interested in peoples' objections? When was he ever? That's Ken (I haven't read it) Clarke we're talking about here. So never think that Ken will be influenced in any way by such awkward things as facts on prison policy.
nonny mouse
October 4th, 2010 1:57am Report this commentDon't forget that this is one area where Ed Miliband claims to support coalition policies. Of course, that is probably a Gordon Brown inspired 'divide and conquer' tactic, but it does mean that Labour will not be able to capitalise on the issue.
Personally I'm willing to hear Ken out, because there is room for a better system for rehabilitating new offenders of minor crimes and there is no money for building lots of new prison places. However, it must not lead to repeat offenders remaining free or there would be hell to pay, within the party and outside it.
Clear Memories
October 4th, 2010 8:16am Report this commentSo what 'justathought'. Just because it costs £210,000 to keep a scrote off the streets doesn't mean it shouldn't be done for the good of society.
The problem is the imbalance in the punishment scale which means the judiciary have limited sentencing options. Frankly, a good piece of rope from Homebase is less than £10 and applied to murderers, rapists and kiddy-fiddlers, will free up no end of spare cells (and might go some way to persuading others not to try and fill those vacant places, even for a short time). Secondly, an off-peak ferry ticket costs about the same. Send those 'foreign' criminals back there and France might not be so keen to let them reach Calais in the first place.
And just to really upset the sandal-wearers, I see nothing wrong with Chinese idea of harvesting spare parts for the greater good from these convicted scum.
Most probably the only way they'll ever contribute anything useful to Dave's big society.
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