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Smith defends probe into Home Office leaks

By John Hirst

Smith defends probe into Home Office leaks

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith today defended the right of police to arrest a Tory MP over alleged Home Office leaks - suggesting the case was more serious than reported.

Officers had to be allowed to "follow the evidence where they need to" and it would be "Stalinist" for politicians to intervene, she told the BBC.

I watched this interview on the Andrew Marr show. Whilst I agree with Jacqui Smith that politicians should not interfere with a police investigation, it beggars belief that she did not know before hand that Damian Green was the recipient of confidential information and that he was earmarked for arrest.

Related content: An arrest to shame Whitehall and the police

and ... This arrest of an MP is a threat to us all

I just wish instead of her wasting her time and energy on a gobby shock jock, and a Tory MP who already has a lot of support, that Shami Chakrabarti instead gave her attention to the 80,000 convicted prisoners who are being denied their human right to vote.

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on November 30, 2008 (boomark / email).