Speaker Martin sanctioned raid on opposition's office

Anti-terror police raided the Commons office of an opposition spokesman.  Not in Zimbabwe, or Pakistan.  But in Britain yesterday.

Why?  The opposition spokesman, Mr Green, has had the audacity to hold the executive to account and expose their failure to tackle illegal immigration.

If it turns out that the Speaker of the House of Commons gave the go-ahead for this raid, I will be demanding to his face, on every occasion that I can, that Mr Martin now quit.

The purpose of the Commons Speaker is to preside over an institution that holds government to account - not to give the green light to police raids against legitimate opposition .  His excuse had better be good. 

MPs cannot have confidence in Martin if he sanctioned this.

UPDATE:  I 'phone the Speaker's office to find out if Mr Martin sanctioned the raid.  Am told "there is a process to be followed that was followed".  I shall take that as a yes, Speaker Martin sanctioned the raid on Damian Green's office.

UPDATE:  Guido Fawkes is brilliant today - pointing out that no action was taken when public officials conspired to give the BBC's Robert Peston sensitive information - allegedly.

Posted on 28 November 2008 by Douglas Carswell

Comments

(1) Before the '97 election, the Labour opposition regularly embarrassed the Major government with quotes from leaked documents. No action was taken by the Met against the shadow front bench then, why should it be now? (2) What assurance do the electorate have that in raiding Mr Green's office(s), no privileged or confidential constituent correspondence has been seized or copied by the Met? (3) Is it not time for an opposition vote of no confidence in the Speaker, if the Conservatives and Lib Dems work together on this he can no longer function in his role as the Speaker - it is time the Speaker stood up for Parliamentary democracy and held the Executive to account.

Posted on 28 November 2008 10:55 by Disgusted By Spineless Speaker

Douglas, I am disgusted at this whole affair and fully support all efforts to find out whether any member of the Government knew of this raid and approved it - and if any member did they should resign on the spot...

However, I do feel that the Speaker was caught in an unenviable catch 22. Yes he is supposed to protect the legislature but he is also supposed to protect the public and denying the police entry could set a dangerous precedent. The events in Mumbai show that the threat of terrorism is still very much among us and if the police need access to portculis house for good reason they should have it.

Posted on 28 November 2008 11:05 by WG Graceless

This sort of thing is terrifying.

Mr. Green was "questioned" for 9 hours and "released" at midnight (!). He's now left hanging until February (!).

Will any MP volunteer to be "investigated" for months on end, now? Or will it cause people to be "careful" about what they say, and whether they use leaks? The latter, of course, will happen; thus dissent will be stifled without any prosecution ever happening.

The idea, of course, is that the process itself is the punishment for expressing Wrong Thoughts. The same trick is used by the Canadian Human Rights Commissions, as Ezra Levant has ably exposed online.

Note how the action was taken on the afternoon while a major news story was breaking. Isn't that remniscent of "a good afternoon to bury bad news"? The timing alone tells us that this must be a New Labour thing. Did Mandelson and Campbell think this one up?

The question now is whether the Commons means anything. If the government can order the opposition locked up on one pretext or another, then the Commons is just a farce. Do Labour MP's fancy getting the same treatment in return?

The other problem is that Labour have purged the police and judiciary of politically incorrect elements, without a whimper of protest from conservatives. No surprise, then, that the police treat conservatives with contempt. Unless the conservatives reverse this political purge, they're finished.

Posted on 28 November 2008 11:17 by Roger Pearse

For God's sake! Access to Portcullis House needed on anti terrorism grounds? Was Green arrested on terrorism grounds? Of course not! For utterly fatuous, grotesquely stupid comments this takes the biscuit. Graceless? More like clueless!

Posted on 28 November 2008 11:18 by G Adlam

<i>if the police need access to portculis house for good reason they should have it. Posted on 28 November 2008 11:05 by WG Graceless</i> For a GOOD rreason - yes - but to inhibit a member of parliament from doing the job he's elected to do? NO! As Charles the First found out.

Posted on 28 November 2008 11:18 by RogerH

Much like bullys in the school yard this government needs to be faced head to head and forced to deal with peoples real reactions to the things they do and (as in this case) sanction.

The conservatives have for the last decade been wimpish and constrained by a history and fear of the dogmatic hostility perpetuated by the media. I go out as a activist and am told constantly not to identify myself as a conservative for fear of total rejection and abuse until sympathies are identified.

Now is the time to speak out,not through a clever PR exercise, but as individuals sure of our interlectual and practical abilities, our policies to run the country and our critique of this totally disasterous Labour government.

Posted on 28 November 2008 11:32 by Anthony Constabl

This is just yet another example of The Brown Regime (one can no longer, in all honesty, grace them with the term 'Government') and their authoritarian, repressive ways. We have seen wave ofter wave of attacks on the freedoms and civil liberties this country has enjoyed and defended for longer than any of us can remember. ID Cards. A Database State. 1 CCTV Camera per 15 Citizens. Communications Monitoring. Terror laws to catch those who overfill their bins. And now - nine Anti-Terror Political Police 'officers' to arrest an Opposition Minister for making public information which deserved to be in the public domain. For doing something that this regime do daily and with great effect (leaks to Peston affecting the stock market, and the recent leaks of the PBR for example). Authorised by The Speaker. Sickening. I believe that we can truly say - British Freedom died on 27 November 2008, aged 797 years. It died of New Labour Cancer. Obituary at http://dungeekin.blogspot.com Keep up the good work. Dungeekin

Posted on 28 November 2008 11:44 by Dungeekin

Perhaps our greatest ever PM, Winston Churchill used leaks about the pre-war RAF to warn about the danger from Hitler.
Had Smith/Brown/Martin been around at the time he would have been arrested by anti-terror police!!

Posted on 28 November 2008 11:49 by Stuart Fairney

I find 2 things deeply troubling. 1) that newspapers are saying that Mr Green MAY have to resign from the Tory Front Bench. Why?? Because he's under investigation? Rubbish, he was doing his job 2) that it was the Counter Terrorism branch who arrested him. Lucky for him he didn't look foreign!!

Posted on 28 November 2008 12:03 by Gary Heard

If I was one of Mr. Green's constituents I would be very angry and worried indeed. This is a scandalous event. I hope the government and those responsible are held to account. This is a very serious attack upon what is left of our constitution and it should be withstood with all the power of the democratic process.

Posted on 28 November 2008 12:11 by Watervole

It is difficult not to think that Britain is in final throes of dissolving into national bankruptcy and the tragedy of a people who have finally realised that they are governed by those who will do anything to retain power and impose authoritarian rule. The real irony being that this nation, which led the world towards representative democracy, should be the first to abandon it.

Posted on 28 November 2008 12:11 by Barry Sheridan

Out of the closet, the face of 'fascism'in the hallowed halls of the Houses of Parliament is shown to the world. The basis of the next election is 'oppressive fascism versus democracy and freedom. Nulabor has reduced the House to the level of a 'carry on film' - such is it's contempt for everything Parliament was founded upon and represents to our nation's citizens. Civil War is finally in the open for all to see .........

Posted on 28 November 2008 12:23 by jean baker

Probably the same speaker who would like to see arrested all those who leaked details of his and his wife's expenses.

Posted on 28 November 2008 12:33 by David

Does the country realise just how very serious this is all getting? Who could ever have believed the events we're witnessing would come to pass in our lifetimes.

Posted on 28 November 2008 12:40 by Deeply concerned

...I want to do something about this...

Posted on 28 November 2008 13:05 by Anthony Constable

This is very very disturbing.

Posted on 28 November 2008 13:16 by John lynch

I've said this elsewhere, that EVERY Tory MP should leak some information EVERY day and see how many are arrested by Mugarbrown's secret police. In 70 years I have never imagined this country would succumb to this form of putrid government. Is civil disobedience the answer?

Posted on 28 November 2008 13:17 by Alan

Bring back Speaker Lenthall!

Posted on 28 November 2008 13:35 by Andrew Naylor

The speaker is supposed to uphold the rights of MP's against the State, and he cravenly allows this. He should be impeached - or what ever you do to a useless Speaker. This is an attack on our very democracy

Posted on 28 November 2008 13:45 by William Lack

The County Court today threw out the Police case against Journalist Sally Murrer, charged with the same offence, and treated to Police State courtesy of horrific standards. This has got to stop.

Posted on 28 November 2008 13:53 by Ian Platt

This is why the Speaker should be elected from the opposition benches.

Posted on 28 November 2008 13:56 by Man in a Shed

With very few exceptions, I have a very low opinion of MPs however this latest action by government - I'll need irrefutable proof that government were not involved to believe otherwise - is one more step towards Orwell's 1984.

Might I suggest that MPs have the option to pass such information to an 'independent' blog site and then just lie - should be no problem there - that the info ever passed through their hands. I'm sure Guido or whomever would be very appreciative.

Posted on 28 November 2008 14:00 by Douglas

Speaker Martin should go.

Posted on 28 November 2008 14:05 by Stop Common Purpose

Parliament should be recalled immediately or there may not be one left by the time the recess is over.

Posted on 28 November 2008 14:13 by David

If the arrest of the Tory Front Bench spokesman required 9 anti-terrorism policeman and three separate raids it begs a number of questions about what it is exactly that our security forces are concentrating upon. But more significantly, if there was a need for such heavy handed policing, was there some imperative or urgent threat that forced the police to operate in such a way? Of course there wasn't. How do I know? He's been bailed to appear in February!

Posted on 28 November 2008 14:31 by Richard Havers

I would have thought that this arrest represents a violation of the principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty. If the Speaker authorised it he should be dismissed by the House of Commons - not allowed to "resign".

Posted on 28 November 2008 15:11 by David Etherington

The outrage of politicians and instaneous use of this incident to launch political attacks will find little sympathy with the common people.

To those who have been threatened with criminal action for having their bin lids higher than the required amount or been persued by civil servants who use terrorism laws to spy on children to find out which school they should go to, the "outrage" of MP's show how far they are from the realities of life.

Should Mr Green have been arrested? No of course not, but in the same way thousands of normal law abiding folk shouldn't be criminalised for petty offences, but we don't see MP's expressing their united outrage then, only when one of their own is caught in the machine.

I'm surprised everyone is having a go at the speaker, or rather maybe I'm not surprised, certain factions have wanted him out for a while, but as far as I know the Met does not report to him, so how can he be responsible for sanctioning the raid?

If the police have overstepped their legal boundaries then surely it is they that are at fault?

If they haven't overstepped their legal obligation to investigate a crime, then perhaps the MP's should stop being "outraged" and either abide by the law, or change it, that latter option is at least available to them if not the common people, and I'm sure we'll see it used, especially when one of their own is affected.

In this country we like to believe we live in a democracy, but the increasing powers of police and officials to interfer in our lives, proves this isn't the case, hopefully MPs will look at the wider issue of mis-use of official powers, and not just limit it to their own interests.

Posted on 28 November 2008 15:52 by Sack the Juggler

You or nobody in you party can force the hand of the speaker maybe you should wait and see what comes out before jumping

Posted on 28 November 2008 15:59 by John Delaney

Well, that's it then. We just waved goodbye to parliamentary democracy.

I expect we will miss it, now it's gone.

Posted on 28 November 2008 16:34 by Matt

Unfortunately the ineffectual soft-centred opposition of the last 11 years is also indirectly complicit in this tragedy. Why did no opposition MP actually stand up and say "no more" to the misery visited upon this once fine nation?

Now, I fear, it is too late

Posted on 28 November 2008 16:49 by PBAG

The arrest of a democratically elected M.P. is yet a further infringement of our rights. M.P.'s of all parties should be concerned at the actions of the police in this matter, and they should call for an emergency debate in the House. This week I was notified of a forthcoming convention, at which by coincidence I see that Iain Dale, David Davis are two of the many speakers. I was thinking of going to this before the Damien Green episode arose. I am now convinced of the need to attend a convention where there will be a debate by eminent lawyers and others on the erosion of our civil liberties. A concerted campaign across party lines is vital. This is the site for the convention:- http://www.modernliberty.net/

Posted on 28 November 2008 17:43 by montahuc

A comment in the Guardian article on this made the plausible point that Green was arrested for an indictable offence so that the police could search his office without having to obtain a warrant. The obvious implication is that there are other even more discreditable secrets ZanuLab are worried may be leaked!

Posted on 28 November 2008 17:50 by John Ramsden

Simply boycott the opening of Parliament on Wednesday then

http://bastardoldholborn.blogspot.com/2008/11/mps-pay-attention.html

Posted on 28 November 2008 17:51 by Old Holborn

This labour regime has been allowed to happen, not just by apathy of the people, but by ineffectual opposition parties.
Forget talk of "cyclops and co will pay for this ata next election" Mugabebrown won't be letting us have an election unless his policeforce force ensure he wins.

Posted on 28 November 2008 18:03 by Polly Haselton

The police have been under Labour's influence for a while now.
Don't forget Walter Wolfgang being bundled out of a labour party Conference in Sept 2005 & then being threatened with arrest under anti-terrorism laws if he tried to re-enter the conference; or when Ian Blair allowed 'Vote Labour' posters to be adorned on police cars during the 2005 election. Ian Blair also lobbied MP's to accept I.D. cards.
The police and security services (don't forget the 'sexing up' scandal of the exagerated threat to this country)have been working for Labour for a long time.

Posted on 28 November 2008 19:18 by Batty

Compared to this Orwell's 1984 was a kiddies' tea party! I am now afraid that Jacqui Smith will find out I vote Conservative........ Martyn, SW France.

Posted on 28 November 2008 22:19 by Martyn Cleasby

By this time next week I hope that Damian Green will not be a Conservative frontbencher, and that hands will have laid hold of him once again, but this time let it be the hands of his fellow MPs, helping him on his way into a recently-vacated Speaker's chair. What better way for Parliament to reassert itself against the trespass of the police and the less virtuous tendencies of the present Executive than through the election of Speaker Green?

Posted on 29 November 2008 15:25 by SamChapman.com

May I respectfully suggest that Mr.Green makes known his mobile number and email address so that people may let the Met know their opinion of this pernicious act? Obviously he'll have to change them once his mobile and computer are returned to him!

Posted on 29 November 2008 21:19 by merlin Lebouge

What is happening to this country under Labour is appalling. I have watched them build the foundations of a police state over this decade. Now it seems that this is not a mere possibility but a terrifying reality. We need an opposition with guts. I would like to see the entire Tory and Liberal parties get up and leave the commons in protest - try to force an election. If Labour win another term we are really in deep, deep trouble.

Posted on 29 November 2008 21:28 by An Englishman

We live in a Belarussian democracy now. This government disgusts me. So do their police who were 'only following orders'.

Posted on 29 November 2008 22:42 by Technomist

Nu Labour is working,its rotting
the country from the inside,more effectively than any war could ever achieve. A vote of no confidence is now required for the speaker and Gordon Brown. What has happend to a once honest labour party.

Posted on 1 December 2008 13:15 by R Remlec

I wrote to my MP, Rudi Vis, to urge him to protest about the arrest of Damien Green and the raids on his home and offices and was greatly disappointed by his anodyne response. He thinks MP's should be treated as ordinary citizens. I do hope he was not taking a party line since this issue must transcend party: it could be a Labour MP next. Whilst one does not want to put MP's on a pedestal nor protect improper behaviour, it is a fundamental requirement of a democracy that we opt for the lesser evil and protect MP's both from possible executive abuse and police misjudgement. Speaker Martin has crowned an undistinguished career by his failure to prevent police from entering an MP's Commons office and should depart. If he had denied them entry they might have reconsidered the whole operation and seen sense. One does sometimes despair of the police; this arrest falls into the same category as that of Ruth Turner in the cash for questions enquiry - it is inappropriate grandstanding that achieves nothing, paints the police as fools and bullies, and results in no prosecution.

Posted on 2 December 2008 16:07 by Brian Finch

Make A Comment