John Reid famously called the Home Office ‘not fit for purpose’ and it is still regarded, with some justification, as one of the most dysfunctional government departments. So, it is rather ironic to hear the Permanent Secretary of the Home Office defend calling in the police on the grounds that the leaks “risked undermining the effective operation of my department”. One hopes that he realises that the real problem is not is the leaks but then incompetence and mistakes that they expose.
PS Matthew Parris makes the crucial point that the offence that was used to arrest Damian Green is simply too broad. Seeing as the police have clearly developed a warped view of their role, reform of it is essential:
“The common law offence of “aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office” sets such a ridiculously low hurdle that thousands of my colleagues in the newspaper industry, many MPs, most Opposition spokesmen, and innumerable helpfully indiscreet police officers would be behind bars if every offence was investigated and prosecuted.
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