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Smith accused of blackening reputation of anti-terror police

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Published Date: 21 April 2009
HOME Secretary Jacqui Smith was accused of bringing counter-terrorism operations into disrepute with the raid of the homes and offices of Tory MP Damian Green.
The criticism came from a Labour MP, Kate Hoey, who warned that the resource-strapped police should not have been diverted for so long on the hunt for Home Office leaks.

She said that "hordes" of police had been "trailing around an individual MP over something that ended up nothing to do with national security".

"Do you not think that this is really what is bringing the whole way that we handle international terrorism in this country into disrepute?" Ms Hoey said.

The Home Secretary rejected the claim, adding that "the systematic nature of the leaks" meant "the damage shouldn't have been underestimated".

However, Ms Smith looked close to tears in her statement to MPs on this month's counter-terrorism operation in north-west England, in which 12 Pakistani nationals, 11 of whom were here on student visas, were arrested.

Angry MPs said that she had dodged questions on the policing of the G20 protests and the arrest of Mr Green.



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  • Last Updated: 20 April 2009 11:47 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Terrorism in the UK
 
1

For Scotlands Future,

21/04/2009 00:20:59
"However, Ms Smith looked close to tears in her statement to MPs...."

Looks like she doesn't like the glare of the press.

Perhaps she is thinking of the pensioners who survive on less than 20% of what she claims in ACA alone.
2

DouglasT,

21/04/2009 01:27:40
Another example of the morals of the 'rt. honourable' Jacqui Smith is how she treats her cleaner. Whilst her own salary has increased by almost 50%, she still pays her cleaner the same £46 per weeek she paid her in 2004. Not even a cost of living rise! At the very same time, Smith has been milking the taxpayer for an 88p bath plug, a kitchen sink, fireplace, 2 washing machines, 2 tvs, 2 porn videos and who knows what else.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1171836/She-8217-s-paid-taxpayer-Jacqui-Smiths-cleaner-pay-rise-years.html
3

steve 1511,

aberdeen 21/04/2009 06:31:53
are the police investigating the leaks from the budget that are making the media,will darling be arrested,will jackie jackboots claim for barbi charcoal,will she claim for suntan oil for her holidays,BROON HAS LET THE COUNTRY DOON,WE ARE DOOMED WITH BROON,DOOMED
4

yockel,

21/04/2009 06:32:50
I am no apologist for Smith who is clearly culpable but it was still plod who went blundering in.

Did they not in any way review the allegations before behaving in this manner? Did they not even considering whether a crime had been committed? Did they consider whether or not such an operation was required to safeguard the nation from damage and what justification did they look for to establish the existence of a risk in the first place?

No of course not, because it was a BIG story with lots of potential media coverage with lots of ego and career boosting to be had.

Best of all they got to demonstrate what power they had, even over Parliament.

Perhaps they were just all Labour placemen.
The Home Secretary wanted it so it was OK.

London policing is in a sorry state.
5

Jimmy Le Pie,

21/04/2009 08:11:58
#3 Douglas T,

But is there really a 'cleaner'??

Or does Mr Jacqui Smith do the hoosework??

Or is this another expenses scam??
6

gus1940,

Edinburgh 21/04/2009 08:39:43
In the run up to The G20 Conference we were deluged by government statements warning of and hyping up of impending mass riots and that all police leave was being cancelled and that they were preparing to face up to trouble.

What I would like to know is what instructions did The Home Office issue to the police as to how to deal with any trouble and were they instructed to go in hard.

The media were certainly primed to expect big trouble but when the conference happened and like coverage was shown on TV there seems to have been very little trouble and with some exceptions what trouble that did occur was caused by police provocation.



7

gus1940,

Edinburgh 21/04/2009 08:40:39
for 'like' read 'live'
8

bully wee alba,

Edinburgh 21/04/2009 08:54:56
If Ms Smith is still paying her ”cleaner” the same £46/week she was paying in 2004, I do hope that cleaner is working no more than 8 hours per week.

Otherwise Ms Smith would be in breach of the minimum wage regulations.
9

Munguin,

21/04/2009 09:06:53
What exactly has happened to those 12 people arrested earlier this month and their so called bomb plot? We have not heard much about that lately have we? Did they in actual fact find a bomb or indeed a plot of any description? This surely can’t be another example of Jacqui Smith/the Government plays the terror card in order to divert attention from her own or her governments shortcomings can it? It seems that every time Labour is in trouble out pops another “we are all in imminent danger from these fanatical loonies” headline and then nothing more is heard.
10

Pavla,

Irvine 21/04/2009 09:07:33
no.7 Jimmy we will probably find out it's her mother or kids who the cleaning expenses are claimed on and you can bet they will be most certainly be claimed either on parliamentary or income tax expenses.
11

aljok.23,

the world 21/04/2009 09:56:12
Anti-terror police......£100,000 per year starting salary for the correctly profiled officers. Not a vocational job.
12

,

21/04/2009 10:20:43
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
13

Tris,

21/04/2009 10:39:53
".......Ms Smith looked close to tears in her statement to MPs on this month's counter-terrorism operation......"


She doesn't sound up to that part of the job, does she? Perhaps she should concentrate on the part that involves filling in expense forms and let someone else do the hard bit where people point out that she's a c**p Home Secretary.

But now we know why they wanted 90 days to hold people, more than any other country. Clearly, when things are getting rough, you play the terrorism card, round up a few unsuspecting people, lock them up for 90 days, by which time everyone has forgotten about it anyway.

As Craig Murray points out on his blog, the two essentials for a bomb plot are:

a) a bomb, and
b) a plot

We appear to have neither yet.
14

Tartan Viking,

21/04/2009 12:51:07
".......Ms Smith looked close to tears in her statement to MPs on this month's counter-terrorism operation......"

Ah......the secret female weapon that guarantees sympathy. Tears!! And we all fall for it like a bunch of buffoons.


15

uno.who,

Livingston 21/04/2009 16:48:42
#13 Where do we apply for the roles you describe? I'm assuming you're only referring to the person in charge as there's no such wage structure in either armed forces or policing? (The Freedom of Information Act can be a great thing)

#14 Well said Colin R. Did you know that Cressida Dick was actually promoted while the De Menezes scandal was fully under investigation ... you couldn't make it up, and what a slap in the face for the victim's family !

16

Barrie Pegg,

London 02/05/2009 08:31:33
This says it all. Greedy old bag is what she is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvCzWNNgbdg

 

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