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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Smith: MP's arrest not Stalinist | Smith: MP's arrest not Stalinist |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has refused to apologise for the arrest of shadow immigration minister Damian Green. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has refused to apologise for the arrest of shadow immigration minister Damian Green. |
| Ms Smith was asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme if she would apologise - but said it would be wrong for her to intervene in a police investigation. | Ms Smith was asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme if she would apologise - but said it would be wrong for her to intervene in a police investigation. |
| Had she intervened it would have been "Stalinist" as she believed in the principle of police being independent even when things get "tricky". | Had she intervened it would have been "Stalinist" as she believed in the principle of police being independent even when things get "tricky". |
| David Cameron has challenged ministers to condemn his spokesman's arrest. | David Cameron has challenged ministers to condemn his spokesman's arrest. |
| Writing in the News of the World, the Tory leader said Gordon Brown's stance so far was "not good enough". | Writing in the News of the World, the Tory leader said Gordon Brown's stance so far was "not good enough". |
| "The question is: does he think it is right for an MP who has apparently done nothing to breach our national security - and everything to inform the public of information they're entitled to know - to have his home and office searched by a dozen counter-terrorist police officers, his phone, blackberry and computers confiscated, and to be arrested and held for nine hours?" he said. | "The question is: does he think it is right for an MP who has apparently done nothing to breach our national security - and everything to inform the public of information they're entitled to know - to have his home and office searched by a dozen counter-terrorist police officers, his phone, blackberry and computers confiscated, and to be arrested and held for nine hours?" he said. |
| The idea that you charge in to impact on operational independence when things get a bit hot, is not a principled position Jacqui Smith | |
| And, with MPs from all parties angered by the incident, David Winnick - a Labour member of the Home Affairs select committee - says he wants an "immediate statement" from Miss Smith when Parliament resumes on Wednesday. | |
| He says the search of Damien Green's Commons office was a serious breach of parliamentary privilege. | |
| Gordon Brown and Ms Smith have denied any "prior knowledge" of the arrests - as part of an investigation into leaks embarrassing to the Home Office - saying the matter was one for the police. | Gordon Brown and Ms Smith have denied any "prior knowledge" of the arrests - as part of an investigation into leaks embarrassing to the Home Office - saying the matter was one for the police. |
| Ms Smith told BBC One's Andrew Marr programme: "There have been a lot of charges thrown around here - the idea that, you know, this is Stalinism, this is a police state. | Ms Smith told BBC One's Andrew Marr programme: "There have been a lot of charges thrown around here - the idea that, you know, this is Stalinism, this is a police state. |
| "In my book, Stalinism and a police state happens when ministers direct and interfere with specific investigations that the police are carrying out. | "In my book, Stalinism and a police state happens when ministers direct and interfere with specific investigations that the police are carrying out. |
| "And I have been very clear, that in my view, the police should have operational independence - they should be able to pursue investigations in the way in which their professional judgement suggests." | "And I have been very clear, that in my view, the police should have operational independence - they should be able to pursue investigations in the way in which their professional judgement suggests." |
| 'Systematic leaks' | 'Systematic leaks' |
| Ms Smith, who also declined to condemn the fact police searched Mr Green's office in the House of Commons, said the leak investigation was launched at the request of the Cabinet Office and the head civil servant at the Home Office, and not by her. | Ms Smith, who also declined to condemn the fact police searched Mr Green's office in the House of Commons, said the leak investigation was launched at the request of the Cabinet Office and the head civil servant at the Home Office, and not by her. |
| She added that the leaks in the public domain were not necessarily all the things which formed the "systematic series of leaks... breaches of security" which were being investigated. | She added that the leaks in the public domain were not necessarily all the things which formed the "systematic series of leaks... breaches of security" which were being investigated. |
| Pressed about what she knew when, Ms Smith said she had known there was a leak inquiry going on and knew in advance that a Home Office official was being arrested as part of it on 11 November. | Pressed about what she knew when, Ms Smith said she had known there was a leak inquiry going on and knew in advance that a Home Office official was being arrested as part of it on 11 November. |
| There is no crime, this is an abuse of police powers, this is President Nixon's America - harassing a political opponent of the government. It should stop Ken ClarkeEx-Tory home secretary Q&A: Damian Green arrested | |
| But she said she did not know about the raid or arrest of Mr Green before they happened. | But she said she did not know about the raid or arrest of Mr Green before they happened. |
| Ms Smith also said she believed that opposition politicians should be able to hold the government to account, and insisted the investigation was not ordered because of politically embarrassing leaks, but because of the security implications for the Home Office. | Ms Smith also said she believed that opposition politicians should be able to hold the government to account, and insisted the investigation was not ordered because of politically embarrassing leaks, but because of the security implications for the Home Office. |
| She added: "If you believe in the operational independence of policing. If you believe that the professional judgement of police officers, during the course of an investigation, should be able to take its course, well you believe that even when things are tricky and sensitive. | She added: "If you believe in the operational independence of policing. If you believe that the professional judgement of police officers, during the course of an investigation, should be able to take its course, well you believe that even when things are tricky and sensitive. |
| "The idea that you charge in to impact on operational independence when things get a bit hot, is not a principled position." | "The idea that you charge in to impact on operational independence when things get a bit hot, is not a principled position." |
| Meanwhile, the Mail on Sunday has reported that senior Conservative sources believe police tried to entrap Mr Green using a Home Office mole. | Meanwhile, the Mail on Sunday has reported that senior Conservative sources believe police tried to entrap Mr Green using a Home Office mole. |
| They allege that phone calls made by the man, who is named in the newspaper, were monitored by police as part of a "heavy-handed" attempt to "snare" the shadow minister.David Cameron is unhappy with the prime minister's stance on the arrest | They allege that phone calls made by the man, who is named in the newspaper, were monitored by police as part of a "heavy-handed" attempt to "snare" the shadow minister.David Cameron is unhappy with the prime minister's stance on the arrest |
| However Mr Green "declined" to be drawn into conversation with the whistleblower, who was also arrested 11 days ago. | However Mr Green "declined" to be drawn into conversation with the whistleblower, who was also arrested 11 days ago. |
| A Scotland Yard spokesman told the BBC: "We strongly refute any accusation that any police officer has acted improperly." | A Scotland Yard spokesman told the BBC: "We strongly refute any accusation that any police officer has acted improperly." |
| The Mail on Sunday also reported that the mole had been re-housed by the Home Office to avoid media attention. | The Mail on Sunday also reported that the mole had been re-housed by the Home Office to avoid media attention. |
| But the Home Office refused to confirm this and a spokesman told the BBC the government would not comment on an issue that involved the welfare of a member of staff. | But the Home Office refused to confirm this and a spokesman told the BBC the government would not comment on an issue that involved the welfare of a member of staff. |
| The Independent on Sunday has separately reported that offices of senior Tories, including Mr Green, were routinely swept for electronic bugging devices as they feared they were being spied on. | The Independent on Sunday has separately reported that offices of senior Tories, including Mr Green, were routinely swept for electronic bugging devices as they feared they were being spied on. |
| 'Incompetent' | 'Incompetent' |
| Ben Wallace, the Conservative MP for Lancaster & Wyre, told the paper he had written to the prime minister requesting an urgent review of the Wilson doctrine - the convention that prevents MPs from having their phones tapped but not from other covert surveillance devices. | Ben Wallace, the Conservative MP for Lancaster & Wyre, told the paper he had written to the prime minister requesting an urgent review of the Wilson doctrine - the convention that prevents MPs from having their phones tapped but not from other covert surveillance devices. |
| Ms Smith said that she had signed any warrant to approve the bugging of Mr Green. | |
| Mr Green was not charged with any offence after his arrest on Thursday but was released on bail until February, when he could face further questioning. | Mr Green was not charged with any offence after his arrest on Thursday but was released on bail until February, when he could face further questioning. |
| The Ashford MP, the Tories' immigration spokesman since 2005, has denied any wrongdoing and said "opposition politicians have a duty to hold the government to account". | The Ashford MP, the Tories' immigration spokesman since 2005, has denied any wrongdoing and said "opposition politicians have a duty to hold the government to account". |
| John O'Connor, former head of the London police unit, the flying squad, told BBC Radio 5Live he found it difficult to believe the government didn't know about the investigation. | John O'Connor, former head of the London police unit, the flying squad, told BBC Radio 5Live he found it difficult to believe the government didn't know about the investigation. |
| He said: "If the prime minister and the home secretary were unaware of this police activity - then they must be utterly incompetent." | He said: "If the prime minister and the home secretary were unaware of this police activity - then they must be utterly incompetent." |
| Ex-Tory home secretary Ken Clarke told the Andrew Marr Show he thought the Damian Green case was "outrageous". | |
| "There is no crime, this is an abuse of police powers, this is President Nixon's America - harassing a political opponent of the government. It should stop," he said. |