This may be just one revelation too far for the Prime Minister... Just in from the Press Association...Home Secretary Charles Clarke knew murderers and rapists were among foreign prisoners released without facing deportation three weeks before he told the Prime Minister, it emerged today. Officials informed the embattled cabinet minister on March 30 that individuals convicted of serious offences had been allowed back into the community. But Mr Clarke did not pass the information on to Downing Street until April 21, the Home Office confirmed. Police were only supplied with the list of all the 1,023 offenders who had been mistakenly allowed free another five days later. Shadow home secretary David Davis said the revelation - made in TheTimes newspaper - was "outrageous''. Mr Davis, who has been leading calls for Mr Clarke to resign over the affair, added: "Clearly it is outrageous that he did not tell the Prime Minister for three weeks. "It is even more outrageous that he did not inform the police straight away.'' A Home Office spokeswoman said the delay occurred while the Home Office was "working hard to clarify the situation''. "The Prime Minister was told as soon as the full extent of the problem was known.'' The latest revelation is bound to increase the pressure on MrClarke - especially after the Prime Minister failed to guarantee he would survive the crisis.
6 comments:
It not looking good for our brutish chipmunk friend
John Hemming's blog pointed out that way back in February 2005 Mike Hancock asked a question under Freedom of Information legislation of a Home Office Minister that should have triggered this revelation and was rebuffed with the all too frequent "we don't keep such figures and it would cost too much to comile them" response.
Big Ears is toast! Just waiting for 'story' to distract from his departure.
I thought that all we were waiting for is Charlie's Willie Horton to be discovered and then he'd be history.
According to the Telegraph yesterday's full page embarasment on Prescott was flankled by another full page discussion of Charlie's failings. Part of that article revealed the tale of one unfortunate lady who had indeed been raped by one of the 1023. Strangely this does not seem to have become a major news item.
Has the press become too engrossed in the Benny Hill farce that is the John Prescott story to notice that not only has the Home Secretary failed in his duty, but that his failure has had at least one very tragic consequence?
While I'm sure the lady concerned does not wish her misfortune to become public entertainment, surely the mere fact that one of the beneficiaries of Charlie's incompetence has caused yet more misery should be being screamed from every front page.
RM
Pulsar,
Huh????
RM
I dont believe Clarke kept anything from 'Teflon' Bliar, i allege that Bliar knew all along, lets not forget all the ineptitude and incompetence stem from him!, and he is ultimately the one responsible for the whole mess as he is the one who signed us up to the EUssr Human Rights Act.
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