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Can I Have a Quiet Word, Peter?
Iain Dale 7:59 AM
Those are words that Peter Hain will be hearing a lot over the next few days. The revelation that the Electoral Commission is considering referring the Hain case to the Police adds yet more pressure on the beleagured Work and Pensions Secretary, yet he shows few signs of recognising that as every day passes he is a serious drag on the government. He's so far defied Alastair Campbell's rule that if a scandal-dogged Minister is in the headlines for more than a set number of days (was it five?) he will have to go.
I suspect there are quite a few people saying to him privately what Ian Gibson said publicly yesterday. That's what happens in these circumstances. Brown doesn't want to humiliate him by sacking him (yet again showing signs of 'bottling' a big decision) so the Labour whips will be encouraging Hain's allies to 'have a quiet word with Peter and encourage him to do the decent thing'. Whether he listens or not, he will know that he is a dead minister walking. Even if he doesn't go now, he will be sacked in the next reshuffle. The irony is that Brown would have moved him out then anyway, even if this scandal hadn't happened.
I suspect there are quite a few people saying to him privately what Ian Gibson said publicly yesterday. That's what happens in these circumstances. Brown doesn't want to humiliate him by sacking him (yet again showing signs of 'bottling' a big decision) so the Labour whips will be encouraging Hain's allies to 'have a quiet word with Peter and encourage him to do the decent thing'. Whether he listens or not, he will know that he is a dead minister walking. Even if he doesn't go now, he will be sacked in the next reshuffle. The irony is that Brown would have moved him out then anyway, even if this scandal hadn't happened.
27 Comments:
The rule is(was) 10 days I think. It is in the Government's interested to keep the Hain story going as it deflects from Northern Rock. The problem for Brown now is not Hain (who is finished) but if the police are called in.
Hasn't he admitted to having broken the law? If I did that I would be out for gross misconduct. Why do the normal rules not apply to the great offices of State?
When will Brown show some loyalty to the electorate rather than to his mates?
I think there might be good money to be made in setting up a pearl-handled revolver concession in Westminster...
My word, Brown is rubbish!
Perhaps they are waiting for a decision to be made as to whether the Police will be called in to investigate.
Just a hunch, but I think it is less likely that they will be called to investigate a Government Secretary, than an ex Government Secretary?
I assume if it is referred to the Police the sequence of events will be - referral, police pay backdated, insufficient evidence of intent by P.Hain
Hmmm.. A fair assessment, but if it was really accurate then Wendy Alexander would have already gone.
Hain may be down, but he isn't out.
He hasn't got to survive blamelessly for ever - he just has to weather the storm until some other big news story comes to dominate the news agenda.
Stephen Byers survived for much much longer than this, although he did eventually succumb.
And Blunkett looked he was going to survive until a worse revelation came out of left-field to blow him away.
I think if Hain talks tough about not going, in the manner of our Wendy, he might be okay. However he did look rattled on yesterday's coverage of him walking from his train from Neath. If he loses his cool, then the sharks are circling for him...
Hain's role now is as what I believe the military call an ablative shield.
When the next labour disaster threatens to hit the press, he will be fired in the hope that this will distract attention.
The whole thing stinks. WHY did Hain feel the need to raise over £100,000 for a run at the Labour deputy leadership. SURELY +£100,000 was going a bit over the top? What EXACTLY was Hain going to do with the remainder of the money left over from his failed campaign? Since Hain has 'forgotten' to declare said amounts ( the Henry McLeish defense:'it was a muddle not a fiddle.') would it not be prudent for the authorities to go over his ENTIRE accounts since he was elected as an MP?
I think he said it was 13 days...
Always look on the bright side, eh?
Yesterday a woman defrauded the benefit system of £2.5million and was given 4 years imprisonment. She'll propably get out after 18 months which sounds like a good deal to me.
Hain probably made a similar calculation that even if he broke the law nothing would happen to him, he'd keep his job and Gordon would do absolutely nothing. So from his point of view he probably thinks it was worth it.
Let him stay. With every day he stays there's another nail in the coffin of this mendacious government.
Oy Vay
So sad to see this happen to a bloke who is so normally "on the Button"
Nothing to say Iain about Osborne and the other Tory money launderers? Even Guido is covering it and he wasn't exonerating Osborne as of last night. And Donal was saying he should get what's coming to him. If anything.
Why would anyone assume that Hain was capable of doing the 'decent' thing?
The BBC are on overdrive trying to uncover Tory donation issues to draw some flak off of poor old forgetful comrade Pete.
How long before they suggest that he's being persecuted because of the colour of his skin?
ed
If I broke the law our company would have to stop operating until I could be replaced. The rules are set by the government. He who sets the rules can benefit by them ...
Chris Paul
Completely different thing. The Osborne donations were declared, just not registered. However the advice of the registrar was admitted to be unclear, but seemed to say they didn't need to be. The advice might be incorrect, but that is a far different thing from Hain's deliberate hiding of donations.
Guido says he believes the emails do let Osborne off.
The appearance of Osborne is that he was trying to comply and be open. the appearance of Hain is that he was trying to hide something.
Ingham said it was 9 days but I think campbell upped it to 14.
Gordon Brown has shown his support for Peter Hain by sending him a little present
Hain's problems will increase when the donors to the PPF think tank are questioned. It is clear that from today's Guardian that Mr. Morgan has already decided to to jump ship. The thought of Mr. Cuddy giving money to a left wing think tank ahs already caused hoots of laughter in the valleys. It looks like the next demolition job that Cuddy will be involved in will be Hain's reputation.
Richard Dale: well yes it is mostly up to the employer, but why having admitted committing a crime is he not behind bars?
Give us one of your jobs, mate.
Contempt.
Peter Hain.
Iain,
Isn't the Abrahms saga about 'washing' money through frontment/women?
Hain is just 'washing' money through a front organisation.
Now do you see why the snot gobbler won't sack him?
Hain can finger him. Eugh, er. . grass him up might be a better turn of phrase.
This is brown dithering again like every other decision he has to make,he waits and waits and then events make it for him.
This is why he doesn't drink he cant decide what to have.
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