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Wanted by the police 'subversive' Muslim MP

By John Hirst

Wanted by the police 'subversive' Muslim MP

Let me get this right. The Metropolitan Police are investigating the activities of a Muslim MP, Sadiq Khan, whom they claim is a 'subversive' and request, rather forcefully, that Thames Valley Police bug the conversation of this 'subversive' within the walls of a British penal establishment. Not once, but twice. On the first occasion, the Minister with legal responsibility for both the police and prisons was Charles Clarke MP. On the second occasion, the Minister with legal responsibility for both the police and prisons was John Reid MP. Yesterday, Jack Straw MP, Minister of Justice, and now responsible legally for prisons, issued a statement to the Commons, in which he claimed that no Minister was involved in the decision to bug Sadiq Khan MP, who now works for the Ministry of Justice. Why has Jack Straw misled Parliament?

According to section 1 of the Prison Act 1952:

"1 General control over prisons

All powers and jurisdiction in relation to prisons and prisoners which before the commencement of the Prison Act 1877 were exercisable by any other authority shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be exercisable by the Secretary of State".

If Jack Straw is saying that the Secretary of State is no longer responsible for what happens within our prisons, who is? Because the Prison Act states otherwise. Is Jack Straw stating that the Prison Act is wrong? Because, if he is, then it needs to be amended to reflect what he is now claiming is the present legal position. He has left this jailhouselawyer very confused.

Why is a man deemed to be a threat to national security working at the Ministry of Justice?

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on February 05, 2008 (boomark / email).