It's not just the unseasonabley warm weather in London that's got British PM Tony Blair sweating these days. His name has come up as a target in a Scotland Yard investigation about a "cash for peerages" scandal, the dirty business of leading politicians giving hereditary title in exchange for generous donations and loans to their party. While it might seem quaint to those outside of the UK for people to pay big money to earn the right to a title, political corruption is political corruption, and someone's going to take the fall.
The Prime Minister will be interviewed in either August or September, before the Labour Party annual conference. He will be questioned about what he knew of the allegations that millionaires were nominated for peerages in return for making massive loans to the party in the approach to the general election last year.
News that Mr Blair will be interviewed in the next nine weeks will cast a shadow over the Labour conference which starts on 28 September in Manchester and is already being dominated by talk of whether he will use it to disclose when he is standing down.
The detectives interviewing the Prime Minister are expected to include Assistant Deputy Commissioner John Yates, who is leading the investigation.
The last prime minister to be interviewed in a corruption inquiry was David Lord George in the 1920s.
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Crimes Directorate have questioned 48 people so far, 13 of them under caution. Three individuals - understood to be Labour lenders - refused police requests to be questioned about Labour's secret loans that totalled £13.9m. Two files have been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service so far.
The police inquiry is understood to be making good progress, although it remains a tricky investigation. One source described the findings so far as "pretty fishy, although not necessary something that will lead to criminal charges".
Tony Blair has had a rough ride over the past few years, much of which has been attributed to his close ties with George W. Bush and his long standing commitment to sending and keepingi troops in Iraq in what is a highly unpopular war that has become something of a liability for the Labour party. If this investigation turns up evidence of more wrongdoing, could a no confidence vote in Blair be far off?
legionnaire said:
While it might seem quaint to those outside of the UK for people to pay big money to earn the right to a title, political corruption is political corruption, and someone's going to take the fall.
What I find quaint is the idea of politicians being held accountable for their criminal activities.
legionnaire said:
While it might seem quaint to those outside of the UK for people to pay big money to earn the right to a title, political corruption is political corruption, and someone's going to take the fall.
What I find quaint is the idea of politicians being held accountable for their criminal activities.
I agrree here. I am yet to see a politician be held accountable and if they are charged like a few in Australia on drink driving its just a caution. One was over double the leagal limit and he gets a small fine and a dont do it again.
legionnaire said:
While it might seem quaint to those outside of the UK for people to pay big money to earn the right to a title, political corruption is political corruption, and someone's going to take the fall.
What I find quaint is the idea of politicians being held accountable for their criminal activities.
I agrree here. I am yet to see a politician be held accountable and if they are charged like a few in Australia on drink driving its just a caution. One was over double the leagal limit and he gets a small fine and a dont do it again.
We actually get them every now and then, i can't believe i'm about to drop this in a thread , i give you Jeffrey Archer
mysticalmaynard said:
So how does someone legally become a peer?
Being one of the leading people in your field, and getting towards the end of that career, tends to get you a nomination. There are also "party nominations", which come straight from the political parties, they can base those on anything they want, short of taking cash for them. There are also a few set positions, for instance whoever the Archbishop of Canterbury is will get a seat. The legal professions will be there to make up the Law Lords (UK supreme court).
From the article
The last prime minister to be interviewed in a corruption inquiry was David Lord George in the 1920s.
Huh... I always assumed it was the Monarch who doled out "Lordships" and whatnot. Shows you how much I know. What about getting Knighted? Doesn't the Queen do that with the sword whack on the shoulder and all?
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legionnaire
United Kingdom
November 2003
JUL 16, 2006 01:56 PM