Goldsmith stands firm over cash-for-honours
Lord Goldsmith is consulted by prosecutors in high-profile cases
Also In The News
|
Sony BMG, out Nov 13th. |  |
Tuesday, 14, Nov 2006 03:42
The attorney general has defended his decision not to stand aside from the police investigation into the so-called "cash-for-honours" scandal, claming that to do so would be against his "special constitutional" responsibilities.
Lord Goldsmith announced last week that he would appoint an independent senior counsel to review material relating to the case and advise him if his opinion was sought on whether prosecutions should go ahead, amid claims that he is too close to prime minister Tony Blair to act impartially over the matter.
The attorney general, who is traditionally consulted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over high-profile cases, told the Today programme this morning that there couldn't be "any question" of him standing aside.
While the director of public prosecutions Ken MacDonald and Metropolitan police chief Sir Ian Blair have already declared their intention not to be involved in the case given their links to the government, Lord Goldsmith said: "I think it was put very well by one of my predecessors last week who said there can't be any question of an attorney general standing aside because of the special constitutional and indeed statutory responsibilities that I've got."
The government's most senior legal adviser said that he was "responsible" for overseeing the matter as "the only person who's answerable to parliament for the prosecutions that take place in this country".
But despite standing by his decision not to stand aside from the case, Lord Goldsmith used the Today interview to stress that he would ensure that procedures were in place to "give confidence, if it ever comes to it, that decisions are taken impartially and objectively".
The attorney general added that like others, he didn't know whether "anything will come" of the police investigation into circumstances surrounding the awarding of peerages last year.
Scotland Yard launched their investigation following allegations that wealthy individuals had been offered peerages by Labour in return for making secret loans to the party ahead of the 2005 election.
Speculation is mounting that detectives, who subsequently widened their inquiry to include the activities of other political parties, may question the prime minister over the claims, which are denied by all parties.
Meanwhile, in a further twist to the honours scandal, a Scottish National MP has asked the House of Lords appointments commission to investigate reports that a member of the Scottish parliament has been selected by Downing Street to receive a peerage in order to create a vacancy for a "favoured" Labour candidate at next year's Holyrood elections.
Commenting on claims that East Lothian MSP, John Home Robertson, may receive a peerage, SNP MP Angus MacNeil said: "It would be entirely inappropriate for a member of the Westminster or Holyrood parliament to be promised a peerage in exchange for an agreement to leave their seat and allow the return to parliament of a one-time minister."