Damien Green's arrest

Damien Green's arrest for receiving leaked documents ranks as the most significant political development of the week.

The MP for Ashford and Conservative spokesman on immigration spent 9 hours under arrest - but was not charged - during which time his constituency and London homes were searched, computers and telephones were seized. In addition, his Parliamentary office was raided.

From what has come out so far, there appears no indication that this was over an alleged breach of the Official Secrets Act. Rather it was to do with an ongoing investigation in the Home Office over the leak of embarrassing documents to the Tories from a junior civil servant.

Green's 'crime' is apparently to have released the information into the public domain - information which is definitely in the public interest, and which is the Opposition's duty to release.

This is something that Oppositions have always done as the video of Gordon Brown below shows:



It's worrying for national security that on the day Mumbai was attacked by extremists, that nine anti-terrorism officers apparently have the time to search MPs houses.

But it is far more worrying for democracy that elected individuals can have their houses and Parliamentary offices raided. MPs work on confidential cases on behalf of their constituents who have the right not to have such information raided by the police.


As for who sanctioned this raid, no one is currently stepping up to take the blame. Despite Boris Johnson and David Cameron being informed, neither Gordon nor Jacqui Smith were apparently aware of the arrest. I find that inconceivable. The arrest of a shadow cabinet member and no one thought they should consult the Home Secretary? Smith has been doing the tour of the television studios this morning claming that it would be wrong to intervene in an ongoing police investigation.

But what is Smith's view and that of Gordon? Is it right that members of the official Opposition should be arrested for doing their job?


Condemnation of the action has come from across the political spectrum. David Cameron is, naturally, furious, writing in today's News of the World. But other MPs of principle are similarly enraged. Nick Clegg has been particular vocal in criticism and veteran Labour MPs Dennis McShane has said that, "... it would destroy people's belief that they could deal confidentially with their MPs about matters of concern to them." - Well said Dennis.

And while not a fan of Ms. Harman, I did think that she looked decidedly uncomfortable when interviewed on Sky News this morning, and has agreed to an inquiry, saying, "I am determined that we should protect those constitutional principles. Our democracy is important not just for electing the government, but for electing the opposition and the role of the opposition is to hold the government to account."