You can't keep a good man down or for that matter a disgraced MP who on past performance put his interests above those of a free and independent press.
It looks as if the Tories are so bankrupt of ideas that they need to resurrect Jonathan Aitken, Thanets most famous ex con who has been asked to head a study on prison reform.
Ian Duncan Smith (who? you know former Tory leader one of the bald ones), shows why he only lead the Tory party for a couple of years with this apparent example of poor judgement, giving Aitken a Job in his "think" tank.
Its interesting how easy it is for, Tories to support this man, who might have got away with his perjury and who knows where he might have been in public life, if he got away with it. There is a fair chance he could have been one of the many in the long list of 3rd rate Tory leaders since 1997.
Roger Gale (MP Thanet North) is an honest decent sort of politician, so its no surprise that he defended the appointment of former colleague Jonathan Aitken and passing these comments “Jonathan committed an offence for which he was tried and convicted and for which he has paid a personal and very considerable price." “Of course there will be minnows within the system who will cite this as a ‘political comeback’ and seek to denigrate him but Jonathan is well used to that." shows his loyalty and fairness.
I must be one of those minnows in the system since although I frequently find myself agreeing with Roger Gale on this, I think he is wrong, seven months in prison does not equate to the scale of Aitkens perjury.
Ian Duncan Smith (who? you know former Tory leader one of the bald ones), shows why he only lead the Tory party for a couple of years with this apparent example of poor judgement, giving Aitken a Job in his "think" tank.
Its interesting how easy it is for, Tories to support this man, who might have got away with his perjury and who knows where he might have been in public life, if he got away with it. There is a fair chance he could have been one of the many in the long list of 3rd rate Tory leaders since 1997.
Roger Gale (MP Thanet North) is an honest decent sort of politician, so its no surprise that he defended the appointment of former colleague Jonathan Aitken and passing these comments “Jonathan committed an offence for which he was tried and convicted and for which he has paid a personal and very considerable price." “Of course there will be minnows within the system who will cite this as a ‘political comeback’ and seek to denigrate him but Jonathan is well used to that." shows his loyalty and fairness.
I must be one of those minnows in the system since although I frequently find myself agreeing with Roger Gale on this, I think he is wrong, seven months in prison does not equate to the scale of Aitkens perjury.
We tend to judge criminals by degrees, if we look at violent crimes, not surprisingly we reserve the most distaste for those who abuse the weak and defenseless, an perhaps we dislike politicians who lie, but Jonathan Aitken pushed the boundaries when he made his "sword of truth and trusty shield of British fair play " speech offering to cut out the cancer of twisted and bent journalism. One possible consequence of Aitkens attack on honest British journalism, in pursuit of a bogus claim against the Guardian newspaper is that he could have caused immense financial damage to one of our more independent news sources.
I cannot recall Aitken making any statements about the corrupt cancer of bent and twisted politicians, I find it hard to erase that past image of Aitken, who at the time of his conviction, epitomised that most odious caricature of political creatures, the self seeking unprincipled sleazy Tory politician (just for balance the Labour party has its equivalents).
I'm sure that Mr Aitken has his regrets but having abused peoples trust in the past in such spectacular fashion he cannot expect the general public, to be anything other than critical, and you would have thought the conservative party would have the sense to leave well alone. I just wonder how local conservative party activist feel particularly Laura Sandys (Tory Candidate Thanet South) having this reminder of a former lag & Conservative MP being associate with Thanet South.
Finally this little event is even more interesting as it shows just what an inept bunch of muppets the Tories are, clearly the Tory party can be very loyal as in this instance, apparently welcoming Aitken back into the fold, so its disappointing to remember that back in 2004, Mr Aitken was showing some support for the UK Independence party, so maybe Ian Duncan Smith has scored a cracking own goal by reminding us of Conservative disharmony over Europe and sleaze.
Tony, I agree with you that it was perhaps un-wise to ask Aitken to join a 'think-tank' on prisons but on the other hand he has excellent first hand experience.I am surprised that a well balanced guy like you falls into the trap that so many 'Old labour' do, of assuming a Tory criminal is the worst form of animal life. The past 10 years should have demonstrated to you that manipulation and control of the CPS by Government ensures that our present batch do not fall into the same difficulty as Aitken but do you really believe that they are squeaky clean? Aitken lied under oath and committed perjury; is that such a heinious crime that having done his time he cannot ever be allowed to forgetit?
ReplyDeleteIt must have taken some front for Aitken to stand up with a bogus sword of truth, raise the stakes by embarking on a completely outrageous action against the Guardian, which had it gone the wrong way I understand could have finished off the paper.
ReplyDeleteNo apparent thought to dragging in the family either.
Had he won the case do you think he would have had a crisis of conscience and admitted everything, not likely is it?
Have their been others of his ilk since maybe, maybe not.
Yes it is a crime and he got off lightly, don't forget he broke the rules with his Saudi friends and would have received substantial damages by telling lies, admittedly he didn't break into a post office with a shotgun his crime though was a bit more serious than a child nicking sweats.
As for his experience, I know a few people whom have greater experience than he the only difference is that most of those I would and do trust, Aitken? unfortunately none of them went to Eton so I doubt they will get a similar offer.
This bloke abused his position and then tried to bluster and bully his way out of trouble.
Does he have any regrets apart from the damage he did to himself?
Don't get me wrong Aitken is not the first or last to abuse from a privileged position and he won't be the last. I'm sure even in the Blair government their were crooks perhaps some have now retired.
You may be interested to know that when Laura Sandys ancestor who coined the name Bloody Mary was our MP he was locked up in The Tower of London.
ReplyDeleteTheft from an employer - abuse of trust - always attracts a heavier sentence than a more "straightforward" case of theft. I don't think it's "minnowish" or "Old Labour" to suggest that Aitken deserved what punishment he got, and perhaps should have got even more. He abused the trust of the electorate.
ReplyDeleteVery true a crooks a crook, particularly when they attack the basic system by telling lies to further their grisly career at cost of honest journalist.
ReplyDelete