Either insidious or incompetent

Phil Woollas, the Immigration Minister, spoke on Today earlier about the Damian Green arrest.  Here’s what he had to say:

“I can assure you that ministers had no knowledge whatsoever of this. The wise thing for everyone to do is wait to see what happens…

…The police are independent from the Home Office. I can only say that I have no knowledge. As far as I’m aware no Ministers had any knowledge. This was a matter instigated by Home Office officials, and the Police were called.” Now, part of me hopes he’s right that no ministers were aware of this.  If they were somehow involved in this heavy-handed arrest of an Opposition member, then it’s an insidious form of government.  But, then again, if Home Office ministers didn’t know that officials in their own department “instigated” an investigation with such massive political rammifications, then it raises all kinds of questions about how capably they’re handling their brief.