Today’s Observer carries the story of yesterday’s arrest of Ruth Turner.
Downing street was plunged into a full-scale war with the police yesterday after senior officers hit back at criticism of the way the cash-for-peerages investigation is being handled.
They responded after Cabinet Minister Tessa Jowell expressed bewilderment at the manner in which Ruth Turner, Number 10’s director of devolvement relations, was arrested at home at dawn – while former Home Secretary David Blunkett accused police of ‘theatrics’.
I would have thought such arrests were entirely predictable – and, that given the nature of the offences, that those arrests would, sooner or later, be close to Downing Street – if not at the very door of number 10. I have to pause here to savour the image of David Blunkett accusing others of “theatricals”. The irony is clearly lost on a man who demanded that rioting prisoners be machine gunned. His buffoonery knows no bounds it seems. Still, it makes an amusing interlude in what is otherwise a case of petards being strung at the highest levels. After all, are we not dealing with people who expressed a desire that suspects not be afforded the same rights as ordinary citizens? So why should Ms Turner have cause to complain? After all, she is a suspect in a crime – that, surely, is enough in Blair’s utopian world of suspects being treated as guilty on hearsay and lynch mob justice? And, if she has nothing to hide, she has nothing to fear, surely? Ah, but, the boot is on the other foot now and we can’t be having Blair’s lynch mob stringing him or his cronies up – that wasn’t what he had in mind at all…
Yesterday Scotland Yard made clear its anger at what it sees as undue political pressure.
Well, that took ’em long enough…
If, as the police quite rightly point out, Turner is indeed guilty, then the absurd idea of arranging an appointment would merely serve to provide her with time to dispose of the evidence. That’s why the dawn knock on the door.
I rather liked the comment attributed to one backbench MP regarding Blair:
‘He should be packing his bags if there are charges inside Number 10,’ said one senior backbencher.
Yeah, I think a wash bag will be enough – particularly if it is for a long period of well deserved time as a guest of her majesty. Oh, if only…