Murphy's letter from Edinburgh

 

They're not above the law

They draft the laws in the House of Commons and the Lords scrutinises them, and because these laws apply across the board we are all expected too abide by them.  So why did the Labour Party attack the police for doing the job that they are investigating.

Our police are investigating the honours for sale allegations just now where loans were alleged to have been given for favours by our government.  As the investigation gets into full gear some prominent people have been pulled in by the police so that the police can establish the facts by questioning the key players in this investigation.

When Lord Levy was pulled in by the police there was an outcry.  No, not by the electorate, but by government ministers and failed ministers.  The arrest was classed as theatrical and unnecessary by those who should know better.  Most of our government ministers are lawyers and they should know the law better than any of us.  This is the way an arrest is done.  When arrested you get photographed, your fingerprints are taken along with a DNA sample, and a remand if necessary.

The government needs too calm down a bit and accept what is going on before criticising the police for doing their job.  This is what they do, and I have no doubt they have gone through the right procedures.  If they haven't the people involved in these arrests and investigations have the right like anyone else too complain.  But you can bet that because of the people involved the police would have done everything by the book.  After all, it's not every day the police get the chance to investigate our government ministers and lords.

The government has to realise that this is a serious investigation that was instigated by an allegation of corruption and honour being given for loans to the party in government.  If that is not a serious allegation, I don't know what is.  And even if there is slightest smell of corruption, then the police have job to do.  And that's too fully investigate these allegations so that they can establish the truth.  If it goes too the heart of government, then so be it.

Is it an embarrassed for our government, you bet it is, that's why they are pointing the finger at the conservative party and making all sorts of innuendos as if we are on an election footing.  Anything to divert attention away from their own problems which appear too be the most serious for this country in my lifetime.

The allegation against the police that it was theatrical and a symbolic gesture by the government seem ludicrous by anyone's standards.  This is the way that anyone accused of such a crime would be treated, so why should they be treated any differently?

Let the police do their job the same way as they do it from day too day, we don't need government input on this one because it is they who are being investigated.  They will just have too go with the flow until the investigation is over.  That's what anyone else has to do, if not they could be seen as trying to interfere with the investigation.

If charges are brought in the future, then they will have stand in the dock like anyone else. That's what the law's about in this country.  It can't be seen as one law them and another for the rest of us.

Until this is all cleared up and properly investigated we will have to wait and see what the outcome is.

But as the government keep on telling us.  If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

Let's just wait and see.

Written by Andrew Murphy 13 July 2006

Back to the main letters page