Blair's mate to "advise" on charges

[VARB 10]

" The attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, a close political ally of the prime minister, is preparing to advise prosecutors on whether to bring charges in the cash for peerages inquiry, the Guardian has learned. He will be consulted by the Crown Prosecution Service, and is expected to give his views on whether charging Tony Blair, or anyone else, is in the public interest."

 

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/funding/story/0,,1939450,00.html

 

This some how seems a bit off

[Greybeard 10]

There isn't a lawyer in the land with the courage to try and nail Blair with criminal charges, anyone trying it would just get black-balled out of the profession.

[upholder 10]

Lord Goldsmith can't expect us to believe he is impartial about his friend who gave him a peerage and could now be charged with selling peerages surely?

 

[Swan_Vesta 11]

Towel flicking, back scratching, rugger bugger, public school attending,masonic hand shaking, self serving old boys club

 

And our glorious leader has the nerve to harp on about corrupt regiemes

[VARB 10]

This bit worrys me

 

"It is thought that Lord Goldsmith will consider whether prosecutions that damage confidence in the two main political parties are really in the public interest."

 

What has this got to do with it , if the laws been broken it's been broken

[Rich 12]

If you do the crime, you should do the time, regardless of whether you're the PM or the Queen of bloody Sheba

[donkey 10]

Goldsmith is the guy who said there was no legal basis for the Iraq war, but changed his mind after a meeting with Blair. Now he's got a peerage. Hmm, interesting.

As we all know, David Kelly commited suicide, and Tony Blair will no doubt be exonerated of any wrong doing in this latest shady episode - at least while he's got his boy in the Attorney General's office.

Three cheers for the independent judiciary - that cornerstone of our great democracy.

[angle20 10]

This bit worrys me

 

"It is thought that Lord Goldsmith will consider whether prosecutions that damage confidence in the two main political parties are really in the public interest."

 

What has this got to do with it , if the laws been broken it's been broken

I agree, VARB. The main parties seem to think they are God's gift to the electorate. I recall Hazel Blears [the Labour party chair] saying something similar in relation to state funding for political parties a while ago: that it would be in the public interest for the major parties to receive state funds in order to be able to do their work!

 

Lord Goldsmith became a life peer in 1999, I believe, so his peerage is perhaps not in itself of great relevance. The role of Attorney General is an awkward one in a situation such as this though. He is (supposedly) an independent law officer but on the other hand he is a political appointee and a member of the government. He might delegate the decision to an official - such as the Director of Public Prosecutions - but would an official have the bottle to take such a momentous decision?

[royjames 10]

No one ought to be that suprised by this Tonys cronies is well established now,the establishment look after their own.

[hagardriley 10]

Towel flicking, back scratching, rugger bugger, public school attending,masonic hand shaking, self serving old boys club

 

And our glorious leader has the nerve to harp on about corrupt regiemes

 

Ain't that the truth!!!!!!!!!!

 

I very much doubt I will ever agree with anything more than I agree with your post Swan_Vesta.

 

These four-faced, filthy, hypocritical scum should be brought to justice and hung out to dry for all to see, as an example to others who try to take the p*** out of the hard working population of this country and line their own pockets at our expense.

[9xyg32 10]

part of the problem is Lord Goldsmith has several roles which clonflict and appear to require a chinese wall -p the only problem is that these chinesse walls havre to be in his head.

 

To my mind that seems a very unreasonable expectation so it's time for something to givfe; perhaps it's time for him to give up some of functions particjularly as he'd be welcomeback to the City law firms as a consultanton top notch fees.