Loans for Peerages

When the fuss over the "Loans for Peerages" police investigation has been given a chance to subside, tempers have cooled, and it is possible to discuss it without the appearance of political points being scored, both the issue itself and the issues arising out of the police investigation will need further investigation.

Even though the CPS has decided not to bring charges, the whole affair has shown the funding of most political parties in an unflattering light. We need much clearer and more transparent rules about where parties get their money from. David Cameron's proposals are a good start.

And second, we need to look at how the police and CPS can investigate allegations of improper behaviour in the higher reaches of government without allegations of either witch-hunts or cover-up. The war of spin which appears to have taken place between the government spin machine and the police has brought the law, as well as politics, into disrepute. We need to find a better way of dealing with this. Perhaps even an analogue of the U.S. system of special prosecutors.

Comments

Anonymous said…
It may well be hard to prove beyond reasonable doubt that certain people did take cash for peerages but it isn't exactly beyond reasonable doubt that they didn't either.

Maybe a private prosecution on the balance of probabilities should be the way forward?
7:30 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
I won't hold my breath waiting for a private prosecution.

However, it certainly seems as though the police thought there was enough evidence to justify their investigations and to send a file to the DPP.
12:51 am
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