It's different for Tories

I have not posted on the Damian Green saga - others have had plenty to say. One point that did catch my eye is that Mr Green was required to give a DNA sample and his fingerprints.

Some Labour apparatchiks have compared this to the Met's investigation of the Cash for Honours scandal. One main difference - as far as I am aware neither Lord Levy nor Ruth Turner were fingerprinted or gave DNA samples.

Once again Gordon does his impression of Manuel "I know nothing..."

So, the Labour Party received £400,000 from one donor David Abrahams - albeit through intermediaries. Two people apparently donated £100,000 each - yet Gordon Brown knew nothing about it.

He knew nothing when donations were made in the cash for honours scandal - even though the party was almost bankrupt and then was awash with money. He did not think to ask where the money had come from.

Labour's favourite copper Sir Ian Blair knew nothing about the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes even though cleaners at Scotland Yard knew the police had killed an innocent man.

How credible is it that both men were unaware of massive events in the organisations that they lead?

Is Ian Blair fit for purpose?

One some times has to wonder about the fitness of Sir Ian Blair to be commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force.

On the Jean Charles de Menezes tragedy, he stated that he was unaware that an innocent man had been murdered until the next day. Why? With ultimate responsibility for the force, he should have known.

Blair either did know in which case he is a liar, or he really didn't know and he is incompetent.

Now we learn that he attended a dinner at which a fellow guest was Lord Levy, currently under investigation in the cash for honours row by the Metropolitan Police Force. Blair knew that Michael Levy was going to be present (he asked not to be seated near the peer or his wife), so what on earth prompted him to attend?

When will Blair be arrested?

Last December I suggested that, despite what Tony Blair's spinners were saying, the cash for honours row was far from over.

And this morning we learned that Blair was interviewed by the police again last Friday. The Metropolitan Police Force issued a statement: "The prime minister has been interviewed briefly to clarify points emerging from the ongoing investigation. He was interviewed as a witness, not as a suspect and co-operated fully"

Now at last No 10 is saying that they don't know if Blair will be interviewed again. Rumours are also rife as to why Scotland Yard asked for a news blackout for almost a week. Many suggest that the reason was to ensure that Lord Levy who was arrested for the second time this week was not tipped off.

It all started so well ten years ago and now Blair leaves office with Iraq hanging about his neck and mired in sleaze. Even John "Back to Basics" Major was never interviewed by the police while in office as part of a criminal investigation.

But this investigation is far from over. Don't rule out Blair facing a third interview and this time one under caution. After all, Knacker of the Yard has been known to arrest those who were previously only "helping with inquiries".

I don't believe in coincidences

On 14 December 2006 Tony Blair's official spokesman (PMOS) was asked by journalist Joe Murphy if the Prime Minister was that day to be questioned by the police in regard to the selling of honours. The PMOS denied any such interview was going to take place.

Later that day Lord Stevens of Kelpworkington released his report into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed. Oh, and the police interviewed Tony Blair in regard to the selling of honours.

Yesterday (30 January 2007) Tony Blair's close aide Lord Levy was arrested for the second time in the police investigation into the selling of honours. This time Levy was questioned about conspiracy to pervert the course of justice - an offence that carries a possible life sentence.

This morning police raided homes in Birmingham and arrested nine men suspected of terror offences.

Call me a cynic but given the previous behaviour of this government in "burying bad news" was the timing of the arrests a mere coincidence?