"Police Advise - Charge Blair Cronies"

The Daily Mail  in the UK is reporting that a police file sent to the Crown Prosecution Service  (CPS) recommends that three associates of Blair involved in the "cash for honours" affair should be charged.

The three are a major fundraiser, Lord Levy (AKA Lord Cashpoint for his abilities to get cash for Labour Party campaigns); a Downing Street aide, Ruth Turner and a millionaire donor to the party Sir Christopher Evans.

This marks the end of the 13 month police investigation into a complaint that the Labour Party had been getting contributions in exchange for places in the House of Lords. It will now be up to the CPS to examine the police file to decide whether charges should be brought and if so, which. They could relate to the original allegation or to suggestions that there was an attempted obstruction of the investigations.

Let's make it clear, the very fact that the police have referred the file means that they believe their is enough evidence to charge. The CPS will decide whether there is sufficient evidence for a prosecution to stand a good chance of succeeding. If, as is very unlikely, the report merely says that the police do not consider there have been offenses, that will be reported within the next few working days. Any longer and the recommendation of the police is to charge.

Consideration could take weeks or even months. It is quite likely that the decision will be reached around the time Blair leaves office, about 10 weeks from now.

With the Blair administration stumbling from one crisis to another, the last days of his premiership are not looking good for his "legacy". Defeat looks almost certain in the May elections where Labour will probably lose its overall majority in the Welsh Assembly and its position as largest party in the Scottish Parliament.

•  Tip Jar

  It looks like Blair's annointed, Gordon Brown has brought off a much younger possible rival, David Milliband, in a "Granita 2" promise. He has apparently said that he would stand down after completing this term and a full second term - around 7 years.

  by londonbear on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:09:52 PM PDT

  •  Recommend

    Not all that different than the lobbyists and their corporate clients buying the name recognition and voter suppression and MSM plant stories that win the seats in Congress, but just lots classier and more fun to read about.

    I'm still in mourning that the Saudi bribes investigation was shut down, though.

    by Mary2002 on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:23:20 PM PDT

  •  7 years inthe PM's office?

    I want what he's smoking.  Perhaps with some help from the Liberal Democrats, but only if he pulls the troops from Iraq.

    by SCFrog on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 07:10:03 PM PDT

  •  Hey... when you serve as George W. Bush's

    poodle then you need to be aware that there are consequences!  This will make it easier for us to impact his legacy along with that of his Dog Sitter and Walker George W. Bush as they both leave office.

    I think Bush will take another big hit when the Tenant book is out and the media gives it some love (providing they do) and puts it out there for the American people.

    Ah, juicy, huh?  

    by victoria2dc on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 10:52:17 PM PDT

•  Perhaps Blair

  can cut a deal with the queen to issue pardons for his buddies in place of the usual peerage.

  by Richard Lyon on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:25:41 PM PDT

•  Thanks LB

  for the update. Ever since the Al Yamamah scandal all I can see for Blair is a seat at the Hague with his pals instead of a seat on the Board of Directors in the WIKI piece.

  Al Yamamah (Arabic: The Dove) is the name of a series of massive arms sales by the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, which have been paid for by the delivery of up to 600,000 barrels of oil per day to the UK government.[1] The prime contractor has been BAE Systems and its predecessor British Aerospace.

  The first sales occurred in September 1985 and the most recent contract for 72 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighters was signed in August 2006.

  Mike Turner, the CEO of BAE Systems, said in August 2005 that BAE and its predecessor had earned £43 billion in twenty years from the contracts and that it could earn £40 billion.[2] It is Britain's largest ever export agreement, and employs some 5,000 people in Saudi Arabia.[3]

  Not a one is clean, not a one of them.

  by ohcanada on Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 09:55:24 PM PDT