So now we know

So, the serjeant at arms (er, pictured) was not presented with a warrant or told one was needed by the police when they came to search an MPs office. "Excuse me madam, we'd like to commit a felony on your premises, is that alright? Sign here."

She, of course, told the Speaker, in the vaguest terms that "something was going up", but he did what we all would do when carrying the responsibility for the wellbeing of order in the Mother of Parliaments: ask no questions, tell no lies.


The The Home Secretary, who politically is in charge of the police force, tells us that the whole investigation was begun by "the Cabinet Office" (the government, or possible its civil servants, or possibly just her) and then set on its merry way and she took no further part. It would be wrong for the Home Secretary to be kept informed of a major Police Investigation.

?

That questionmark isn't mine, it belongs to her predecessor as Labour Home Secretary, John Reid. He said: "I have to say I'm surprised to say the least that she wasn't informed that her opposite number, effectively was about to be arrested. I cannot think that if I had been told that this had been done after the event that I would have remained as placid as she has done in the circumstances." Which I believe is Parliament-speak for "What the hell do you think you are playing at?"

The Government are maintaining their high standards of Democratic principles. The Seven-strong Commission which the under-fire Speaker wants set up in order to see a "speedy and immediate" inquiry to report back "as soon as possible" has been put on hold. Of course.

Why?

Harriet Harman, leader of the House (Labour), explained: "I don't think it's wise to set up a concurrent investigation when there's a police investigation underway." And clearly, given everything, they can be trusted.

Certain words come to mind. Piss-up. Brewery. Except they belie the seriousness of all of this. MMP commented recently that all this makes her feel unsettled: well it should. We trust our Government to do their best for us; but all of the PM's tasty soundbites about being there for "families and small businesses" in the "current economic downturn" (I think he means recession) sound sour and unpalatable to me when free speech is pushed off the menu.

Now we know?

Now I'm having a laugh. A very hollow one indeed.