Scotland Yard has confirmed that Lord Levy is being held in custody under the 1925 Honours Act and the 2000 PPERA Act. Downing Street is saying this is a "Party matter and nothing to do with the Prime Minister". Did the spokesman manage to keep a straight face? Last time I looked, Tony Blair was still Leader of the Labour Party. Let me remind you that Levy is a personal friend of Blair. He plays tennis with him, he goes to parties at his house, Blair appointed him as his official envoy to the Middle East and Levy has a desk in the Foreign office. Now of course, we don't know if he will be charged, so let's not get carried away. However, this is something that Downing Street will not be able wash its hands of. He's worked hand in glove with Jonathan Powell and Ruth Turner on Peerages. The only person who can be forgiven for having a wry smile on his face this afternoon will be John Prescott - at least he knows he won't be on the front page tomorrow. Hat-tip for graphic to Theo Spark.PS I hope Guido's role in exposing Levy's dealings will be remembered. It was Guido who asked the right questions in March. Look back in his archives if you've forgotten.
18 comments:
The BBC site notes "Lord Levy, 61, made his money in the music industry in the 1960s and 1970s, managing singers including Alvin Stardust and Chris Rea".
So why has it taken so long for him to have his collar felt?
Let me remind you that Levy is a personal friend of Lecy - ??? Was Lecy supposed to ready Blair?
And also on the BBC website, in an interview with the Labour official spokesman "He confirmed the peer was still the prime minister's Middle East envoy. "
The perfect envoy! He can join the Prezzalump on many a foreign tour. They can enjoy whoring, stealing and cheating together! Hurrah for the entirely sleaze-free New Labour! I cried when they were elected in 1997. "It was such a beautiful day" to quote Poliakoff's The Project.
Long Live the New Reality of Prescott-Levyism! Down with the Blue enemies of freedom, represented by the vicious Cameron and his wolfpack of Notting Hill mafiosi! Thank God Brittania is safe in the hands of the big brown blair.
This seems to be a good day for burying something - keep your eyes peeled Iain.
Interesting times ahead - could it be that Iain, Guido et al will in future be remembered as the Woodward and Bernstein of the UK?
The Guardian has a profile up which suggests to me this guy is going doooown!
link
Those of an age may be having the same deja vu that I'm feeling.
The Blair situation kinda reminds me of the downfall of Tricky Dickie.
No break-in of course (that we know about), but the following of the slush funds of the Committee to Re-elect the President was one side of the nut-cracker and Dickie's own mendacity plus the downright stupidity in not destroying the tapes, was the other.
It was the juncture of the two that did for him.
Well, today they arrested the bagman and this morning the DT reported that Inspector Knacker was using some super-duper software that could find mails on a disk even after they had been 'secure deleted' and could monitor computer usage without the owner's knowledge.
Next up - who'll play the Judge Sirica role?
We already know who's playing Woodward & Berstein.
And then...
Mmm.... I can see the TV broadcast now... Blair, sweating profusely and with trembling lip appeals to the populace - "Your PM is not a crook, nor a liar, and I've never seen that man before in my life. Money? What money? I leave that to Cherie."
I left the UK in 1996 because I could not face the idea of New Labour in power - whilst the last few weeks have been great fun I am worried that there may be soon no longer be any excuse to stay away.
Tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime!
If Bliar both did the crime and was the cause of the crime - he surely needs to be dealt with very toughly.
UK tax payers have been supporting Bliar's lifestyle for almost 10 years - looks like they may have to support it (albeit in less splendid style) for many years to come. I am tempted to move back to the UK so that I can contribute my little bit to keeping him supported.
"Downing Street Won't Be Able to Distance Itself from Levy"? You're not wrong...
See this piece.
It tastes even better now.
Article is headed "Levy: I won't be cash-for-honours fall guy".
Goes on to say "Sources close to Lord Levy said he would tell police that he was against getting wealthy backers to offer secret loans instead of publicly declared donations - but was urged to do so by Mr Blair to save the party from bankruptcy."
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/mt/mt.cgi?__mode=view&_type=entry&id=2977&blog_id=8
Downing Street is saying this is a "Party matter and nothing to do with the Prime Minister"
Then maybe someone should ask them the views of the leader of the labour party...
I know this is wishful thinking, but when Blair goes to the G8 in Russia, do you think he'll come back?
Or will he tell Cherie to pack her bags and meet him on Copacabana Beach? (If we still don't have an extradition treaty with Brazil.)
Written answers Thursday, 26 January 2006
Norman Baker (Lewes, LDem) Hansard source
To ask the Prime Minister whether he plans to (a) review and (b) reform the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.
Tony Blair (Prime Minister) Hansard source "No".
Errrm right question 2 months befor Guido...
.
Levy will not go down alone. Its about dominos. But before they fall hard evidence will be required. The unholy alliance, Blair Jon Pole and Cashpoint are unlikely to have left a written trail. The case needs the wannabee Lords to sing. Curry King has cleared his throat but has yet to break into song. Plod's arrest of Cashpoint is a signal that he is on the case. Cashpoint did a Nixon by destroying some evidence but maybe not all. We we need meat in the hamburger. Who will dish it up? Forensic or singing canaries?
kingbongo says... "I got one of his (Bob Piper's)less than charming/witty/intelligent responses for my trouble. I was right and he (as usual) was wrong."
Bongo... I have no recollection of you saying anything even vaguely intelligble on my blog, but I certain I gave you the proper response, and that the second word was ...off. It must have been some time ago and it has obviously left you mentally scarred, for which I would like to apologise profusely.
Totally off topic, but is Kingbongo Umbongo's leige lord?
Not that it matters, but these sort of questions sometimes occur to me after too much whiskey.
RM
RM
No relation or connection as far as I'm aware.
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