Monday, April 09, 2007

Taxpayer covers "cash for honours" suspects legal costs

This morning's Daily Telegraph has revealed via the Freedom of Information Act, that the Government has been paying the legal costs of officials interviewed by the Metropolitan Police in the "cash for honours" investigation.

The response from the Cabinet Office was however evasive, and whilst it confirmed it was paying legal costs, it did not confirm for whom, or how much. It's assumed that the cost would be for Ruth Turner and Jonathan Powell as the other two that have been investigated (Levy and McTernan) are clearly in party political roles.

If charges and a successful convinction is brought against whoever had their legal costs covered by the taxpayer, I'd say that there should be some sort of mechanism available to recover that money. After all, the fundamental key to the allegations in this case are party political, so if a conviction is secured the taxpayer shouldn't be responsible for the legal costs.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, of course the tax payer "shouldn't" be responible for the cost but like everything else under project Zanu-labour, they are of the impression that everything paid into HMG treasury is for the personal use of themsleves and don't you proles dare think any other.

It's all for your own good you know !

Anonymous said...

If some convictions are achieved, I imagine that the only way to recover our (taxpayer) money would be to sue for it.

If there are sufficient of the willing, I would be ready to pledge £100 towards taxpayer expenses.
Ian