There are few finer columnists than Martin Bright and his volley at the Progress conference on Labour ministers’ reaction to the arrest of Damian Green hit upon an important point:
“It is important to debate the end of ideology. But what about the end of principle?
I was told I had five minutes for introductory comments, which is always too much on these occasions, but all that really needs to be said is two words: Damian Green.
What a disgrace this incident has been. To hear Labour Cabinet ministers who happily fed journalists leaked information during their years in opposition defending the ‘independent operational action’ of the police is quite staggering.
The question in this case is not whether ministers knew about the operation, but how disgusted they were when they found out. To hear Geoff Hoon on Any Questions refusing to answer whether he had any qualms about such heavy-handed tactics. Any qualms! At that point I wondered whether this government had any principles left.
So what has this to do with ideology? Well, everything. To forget one’s principles as a parliamentarian is to demonstrate that politics has become purely tribal — Damian Green must have done something wrong because he is a Tory.”If what Damian Green did was illegal, opposition politicians have been committing illegal acts for as long as anyone can remember. (Even if the leaks were being encouraged then that is hardly new). The power of the state is such that the benefit of the doubt should go to the opposition in these matters. Also, the consequences of fully investigating these leaks are worse than the leaks itself: can anyone be comfortable with the idea of opposition politicians having their phones bugged by our over-mighty police force? Labour, who will in all likelihood be on the other side of this divide within a year or two, would do well to remember this.
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