Lords gate?
The hero who offered relief from the Thatcher-Major governments a decade ago, has fallen from his pedestal. Between the public's opposition to his support for the war in Iraq and the growing evidence of a fund raising scandal, he may be retiring sooner than he'd planned. The first report comes from the Washington Post. It's followed by a BBC "Q&A" on the "peerages affair," the Tory leader's press release saying Blair should step down now, and the press release from Blair's likely successor urging patience as the facts are made public.It all raises questions about the growing cost of campaigning in the UK and the political pressures faced by governments these days.
Blair Ally Arrested in Corruption Probe
"The chief fundraiser for Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labor Party was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of hampering a police investigation into whether the party offered seats in the House of Lords and other government honors in exchange for cash.
"Michael Levy, a close friend of Blair's and special envoy to the Middle East, was arrested on 'suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.' He was released on bail and has not been charged with a crime...
"Many people here see the new charge as more significant than last summer's because it suggests an effort by people close to Blair to hide an offense...
"Appointed seats in the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament, could be offered to donors with only a 'wink, nod and a handshake,' Knox said. But he said it might be much easier for police to discover that e-mails or other documents had been destroyed or hidden in an effort to thwart the investigation...
"In all, four people have been arrested in a burgeoning scandal that has made Blair the first sitting prime minister to be questioned by police in a criminal inquiry...
"The cash-for-honors scandal, as it is known here, has increased public disillusionment with Blair...
"Scotland Yard has said it is conducting a 'cross-party investigation,' and all major political parties are widely thought to have acted similarly with major donors.
"But the scandal has damaged Blair and his party more because they are in power. In addition, Blair promised to end the sleaze associated with former prime minister John Major's Conservative Party, which he trounced in an election a decade ago..."
Q&A: Cash for peerages affair
"Police are investigating whether cash has been donated to political parties in exchange for peerages. All involved deny any wrongdoing. Here is our guide to the affair..."
'Time to go' Cameron tells Blair
"David Cameron has told Tony Blair that it is in the 'national interest' for him to quit now as prime minister..."
Brown: Wait for facts on honours
"Gordon Brown has urged people to wait until the 'full facts' of the police cash-for-honours inquiry are known..."
posted by Ken Wedding @ 9:40 AM
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From The Guardian (UK):
Poll brings relief for Labour
"Labour appears to have largely escaped electoral damage from the latest dramatic twists in the cash-for-honours affair, according to a poll released today.
"Support for the party has risen by a percentage point to 33% since the beginning of last month, while the Tories are down 3% at 36%, a Populus poll for the Times found.
The Liberal Democrats have gained 1% to reach 19%...
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