Cameron: Govt Ordered Tory Arrest
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:22 pm
Cameron: Govt Ordered Tory Arrest
David Cameron has accused the Government of ordering the arrest of Tory frontbencher Damian Green. Skip related content
Cameron and Brown lock horns after Queen's Speech
Home Office whistleblower speaks
Have your say: David Cameron
During a debate on the Queen's Speech, the Conservative Party leader said: "There is of course one person who is here despite their best efforts of the government, my Right Honourable Friend the Member for Ashford."
Mr Cameron's words kicked off a spiky exchange with Labour MPs.
Click here for live, line-by-line coverage of the debate
Earlier, Commons Speaker Michael Martin said he did not "personally authorise" the police search of Damian Green's Parliamentary office.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Martin explained that he was told last Thursday Mr Green's office may be searched, but was not told police did not have a warrant.
He said that in future a warrant would always be required when police wanted to carry out searches, and a protocol would be issued to formalise that.
The Speaker also said a committee of seven senior MPs would be set up to consider the issues raised.
He told MPs they would have the chance to debate the issues on Monday.
After the Speaker's statement, Mr Green said MPs "are not above the law", but added that neither were Government ministers, civil servants or the police.
It comes as Sky News discovered that police are dismayed that Boris Johnson has said there will not be a prosecution in leak inquiry which involved the arrest of Mr Green.
The London Mayor, who is also the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, says he spoke to the Tory immigration spokesman, after his arrest.
Critics say Mr Johnson should not be talking to a suspect in an active criminal investigation.
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "These are extraordinary statements for the chairman of the police authority to make.
"And I know privately, at least, senior officers at Scotland Yard are absolutely dismayed to hear him say that."
Former chairman of the Authority, Len Duvall, told Sky News it was "astonishing and inappropriate" for Mr Johnson to be speaking to a "potential criminal suspect".
The Mayor is privy to information about the police investigation, said Mr Duvall.
"Boris Johnson is picking and choosing private information to use for political advantage."
But Sky's political correspondent Joey Jones says he has been told that, as far as Mr Johnson is concerned his conversation with Mr Green was a "friendly chat" to see how he was dealing with the situation.
"It has been pointed out to me that in that conversation Boris Johnson did not talk about anything operational to do with the police inquiry or anything that Paul Stephens and the acting Metropolitan Commissioner had said to him about the inquiry," Jones said.
"It is also being stressed to me that Boris Johnson has no intention and has made it clear he has no intention of telling the police what to do."
Earlier, Business Secretary Peter Mandelson accused the Tories of creating a "self-serving smokescreen" over the arrest of Damian Green.
Lord Mandelson told Sky News: "I understand the anger expressed by some MPs because it touches on what they see as their rights and privileges.
"I also have to say I think that for many Conservatives, it is a self-serving smokescreen, behind which to hide their own apparent collusion with a Home Office official who was allegedly systematically leaking Home Office papers to the Conservative Party, in order to pursue his own personal political ambition."
The Business Secretary added: "I would like to know from the Conservatives whether their frontbench and their leader knowingly colluded with that civil servant in riding a coach and horses not only through the Civil Service code but also through the law." Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will make a statement about the inquiry tomorrow.
Mr Green, MP for Ashford, was arrested last Thursday and released on police bail.
Civil servant Christopher Galley, 26, who is accused of passing him sensitive Home Office documents, was arrested and bailed earlier this month.
David Cameron has accused the Government of ordering the arrest of Tory frontbencher Damian Green. Skip related content
Cameron and Brown lock horns after Queen's Speech
Home Office whistleblower speaks
Have your say: David Cameron
During a debate on the Queen's Speech, the Conservative Party leader said: "There is of course one person who is here despite their best efforts of the government, my Right Honourable Friend the Member for Ashford."
Mr Cameron's words kicked off a spiky exchange with Labour MPs.
Click here for live, line-by-line coverage of the debate
Earlier, Commons Speaker Michael Martin said he did not "personally authorise" the police search of Damian Green's Parliamentary office.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Mr Martin explained that he was told last Thursday Mr Green's office may be searched, but was not told police did not have a warrant.
He said that in future a warrant would always be required when police wanted to carry out searches, and a protocol would be issued to formalise that.
The Speaker also said a committee of seven senior MPs would be set up to consider the issues raised.
He told MPs they would have the chance to debate the issues on Monday.
After the Speaker's statement, Mr Green said MPs "are not above the law", but added that neither were Government ministers, civil servants or the police.
It comes as Sky News discovered that police are dismayed that Boris Johnson has said there will not be a prosecution in leak inquiry which involved the arrest of Mr Green.
The London Mayor, who is also the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, says he spoke to the Tory immigration spokesman, after his arrest.
Critics say Mr Johnson should not be talking to a suspect in an active criminal investigation.
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "These are extraordinary statements for the chairman of the police authority to make.
"And I know privately, at least, senior officers at Scotland Yard are absolutely dismayed to hear him say that."
Former chairman of the Authority, Len Duvall, told Sky News it was "astonishing and inappropriate" for Mr Johnson to be speaking to a "potential criminal suspect".
The Mayor is privy to information about the police investigation, said Mr Duvall.
"Boris Johnson is picking and choosing private information to use for political advantage."
But Sky's political correspondent Joey Jones says he has been told that, as far as Mr Johnson is concerned his conversation with Mr Green was a "friendly chat" to see how he was dealing with the situation.
"It has been pointed out to me that in that conversation Boris Johnson did not talk about anything operational to do with the police inquiry or anything that Paul Stephens and the acting Metropolitan Commissioner had said to him about the inquiry," Jones said.
"It is also being stressed to me that Boris Johnson has no intention and has made it clear he has no intention of telling the police what to do."
Earlier, Business Secretary Peter Mandelson accused the Tories of creating a "self-serving smokescreen" over the arrest of Damian Green.
Lord Mandelson told Sky News: "I understand the anger expressed by some MPs because it touches on what they see as their rights and privileges.
"I also have to say I think that for many Conservatives, it is a self-serving smokescreen, behind which to hide their own apparent collusion with a Home Office official who was allegedly systematically leaking Home Office papers to the Conservative Party, in order to pursue his own personal political ambition."
The Business Secretary added: "I would like to know from the Conservatives whether their frontbench and their leader knowingly colluded with that civil servant in riding a coach and horses not only through the Civil Service code but also through the law." Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will make a statement about the inquiry tomorrow.
Mr Green, MP for Ashford, was arrested last Thursday and released on police bail.
Civil servant Christopher Galley, 26, who is accused of passing him sensitive Home Office documents, was arrested and bailed earlier this month.
