Loans for peerages: threat of criminal charges

From T Dan Smith to Stalin, Socialism has always - by perverting market processes - led to corrupt abuse of power. PJ O'Rourke shrewdly observed that where buying and selling are regulated by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.

If I had any remaining faith in the institutions of the British State, I would be pleased that the police had asked MP's to suspend enquiries into the alleged sale of honours by the Labour Party, pending a criminal investigation into corruption. I have already blogged that I suspect several Party officials are due for a "grace and favour" cell in the Scrubs, and would be delighted to cast the police as Hercules diverting a river through the stables of British politics.

However, the higher ranks of the British police have shown themselves under New Labour, to be open to corruption themselves. Senior officers have adapted their policing to the political dictates of their masters. They have even gone so far as to accept illegal orders to operate the murderous "shoot to kill" policy that led to the death of Jean Charles de Menezes. I don't trust the British police to do their job in this respect. I predict that the investigation will terminate without charges. I predict MP's will then decline to reopen their own enquiry as the matter has been dealt with.

The only way justice could be done here would be if we had an effective, aggressive Opposition with clean hands - and a press which would treat this with the seriousness the American press brought to Watergate. Instead, we have an Opposition which has been deftly backed into a corner over the corrupt sale of honours, and a Press which - for whatever reason - is prepared to cover up the Government's rank behaviour.

I am not holding my breath.

Telegraph | News | Loans for peerages: threat of criminal charges