DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Kangaroo court is an affront to justice
With energy bills ruining households and small firms, inflation galloping and a painful recession looming, the last thing voters need is Parliament obsessed by another interminable Partygate probe.
The inquiry by the Commons privileges committee is already a sham. By tampering with the rules, it has guaranteed Boris Johnson will be nailed for misleading MPs about illegal gatherings in No 10, even though he did so inadvertently and apologised.
His enemies are crowing – not least vengeful Remainers, who will never be satisfied until Brexit’s talisman is drummed out of Westminster in disgrace.
But anyone who truly believes in the principle of natural justice should feel deeply uncomfortable at the process.
Even more troublingly, this stitch-up has chilling ramifications for our democracy.
His enemies are crowing – not least vengeful Remainers, who will never be satisfied until Brexit’s talisman is drummed out of Westminster in disgrace
Don’t simply take the Daily Mail’s word for it, though. That is said to be the expert view of Lord Pannick QC, one of the country’s most brilliant legal minds.
By convention, a minister accused of lying to the House is guilty only if found to have done so deliberately. But in Mr Johnson’s case the committee removed this proviso – making it easier to punish him.
In a devastating analysis, Lord Pannick is believed to have concluded it would set a dangerous precedent, and threaten to paralyse future parliamentary proceedings.
How so? Ministers answer millions of questions in the Commons. If they fear that unwittingly telling a falsehood may be career-ending, they are less likely to be candid. And that would make it harder to hold governments to account.
Of course, some might dismiss Lord Pannick as a Tory stooge or a No 10 patsy.
But that would be outrageous – and wrong. He has a history of acting against the Government – most notably in the Supreme Court battle to thwart Brexit.
Hardly a Boris cheerleader, then. Nevertheless, it is increasingly clear that this kangaroo court is an appalling affront to justice – and must be scrapped.
With energy bills ruining households and small firms, inflation galloping and a painful recession looming, the last thing voters need is Parliament obsessed by another interminable Partygate probe
Shake Covid stupor
It is terrific news that Britain’s Covid alert level has fallen for the first time from three (in general circulation) to two (transmission is declining).
Fewer people are becoming ill or needing hospital treatment. Yes, the winter virus season is approaching. But thanks to our world-beating vaccine programme, coronavirus will be kept at bay.
Which begs the question: If the disease no longer poses an existential threat, why is so much of white-collar Britain – including countless pampered civil servants – still working from home?
This is bad for the economy, bad for people trying to get appointments, bad for city centre businesses that rely on footfall, and bad for young workers’ career development.
Unless we shake our addiction to lounging at home, society will pay a high price.
Public faith in the police keeping them safe is plunging, and it’s easy to see why.
Not so long ago, if a person reported a crime, they could expect an officer to investigate. Now, as lawlessness engulfs Britain, they are more likely to receive a shrug of the shoulder.
In today’s paper, two shocking examples. It beggars belief Sussex Police refuse to probe Colin English, who duped social workers to win custody of a neighbour’s toddler, despite her pleas.
And in Lancashire, mothers are patrolling the streets because officers won’t protect their children from brutal gang attacks.
Yet while whining about cuts, police chiefs are preoccupied with virtue-signalling and investigating made-up thought crimes.
The long-suffering public expect a police force. Too often, they’ve got a police farce.
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