Did a minister have advance knowledge?
But has the story any impact beyond the Westminster village?
The Green arrest affair has taken on a new turn this evening with a report by Iain Martin on the Telegraph “Three Line Whip” blog that “the strong rumour is that one minister with good police contacts did know and has remained well under the radar since the row erupted last week, for understandable reasons.”
This, clearly, could have big ramifications because the most damaging thing for the government, surely, would be any suggestion that it is being less than totally frank in its public comments on the affair.
Jacqui Smith, the home secretary, came under attack in the commons this afternoon for her “wilful ignorance” and of failing in her responsibilities as home secretary over the police raid on an MP’s office. The Tories say she should have asked more questions. Her position was undermined by a predecessor, John Reid who expressed surprise she had not been told.
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A big question is how much of this is getting through to the general public and whether they care that much. Also Gordon Brown exquisite strategy yesterday over the mortgage announcement (subject of today’s brilliant Marf cartoon) has played a big part in dampening down the flames.
At the moment I don’t think that this matters because media interest continues to be enormous and a lot of work is going on trying to dig up information and to establish whether what they are being told can be verified.
Quite often it is not the initial act that causes the problem for government but the following cover-up. Could that happen here?
Mike Smithson