Guilty until proved innocent

.

Newsnight, no.
A Guardian article today alleged that Lord Doug Hoyle accepted payment to introduce a lobbyist to a Defence Minister.  I have no way of knowing whether this is true. Being against judging people to be guilty unless first proven innocent I want to remain silent on the issue at the moment.

However a fortnight ago, I was called by the Guardian. They outlined the alleged circumstances and I said that this would be wrong because Peers or MPs should not be for hire. The Guardian tagged my comment to the bottom of the Doug Hoyle story.

I have no complaint because I am keen to raise interest in my Select Committee's new inquiry into lobbying. This afternoon I did an interviews with Carolyn Quinn for the PM programme on the condition that it was about the general danger of new lobbying rather than putting the boot into Lord Hoyle.

Newsnight asked me to appear live on their programme tonight. It is clear that it will be more Hoyle baiting. I declined. The subject is a massive one of subtle influence being wielded by the rich and powerful behind the scenes at Westminster. This is a much bigger subject that what alleged in Hoyle's case. Perhaps someone else might agree to appear on Newsnight.

I'll watch with interest.

Fun pain
Does something happen to hunters' brains? Are they all fools or do they just think the rest of us are?

I had a preposterous e-mail today that's reminiscent of the celebrated ones all Labour MPs had during the fox hunting ban debate. A favourite was

'As master of the South Wilts Foxhunt and a lifelong Labour supporter, I must tell you I will never vote Labour again if the ban goes through. Yours etc, Nigel Chumleigh -Traveston.'

In almost all cases they came from constituencies where Labour has never won an election. Today's letter (see yesterday comment) purports to come from a serving soldier who has been persuaded to take up fox hunting because I am against bringing back the cruelty into the sport. Huh ? I cannot detect any rational thought process here. If Tommy Atkins is genuine, I will happily eat crow but I believe I detect the scent of  raving animal tormentor out to try a new desperate ploy. 

He has overdone the war hero claim. How many soldiers have served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq (3 times) and Afghanistan? 

Is anyone so naive to  think that I will  believe a syllable of this and drop my animal welfare campaigning ? It's possible, he does. Anyone who thinks that subjecting animals to pain for fun is a reasonable sport is capable of believing anything.

Brainiacs
The sound of the clash of intellects  resounded along the lower Committee Corridor yesterday.

The Public Administration Committee were continuing our honours probe in the appropriate  David Lloyd-George room. Two of our witnesses are from Brunel University but we were discreetly informed that do not always see eye-to-eye of all academic matters.

Tactfully we seated, House of Lords expect Dr Meg Russell, between Professor Justin Fisher and Dr Michael Pinto-Duschinsky. At first all was courtesy, sweetness and light with a subtle undercurrent of hostile body language between the Professor and the Doctor.

Then the Professor, in an aside,  said he was the 'principal adviser' to a Commission's Report. Doctor Pinto-Duschinsky in his reedy thin voice piped up , 'I'm sure my colleague does not wish to take credit as a 'principal adviser' to the many errors in the Commission's conclusions. He then proceeded to describe a long litany of alleged major blunders in the report.

The Professor laughed defensively and shifted his posture.  It was all quietly dignified but it was a devastating put-down. This is war among the brainiacs. 

Comments

[Chris]

The Countryside Alliance get increasingly desperate wheeling out 'Tommy Atkins'.
If he is a soldier im sure the MOD will be interested in him posting comments about breaking the law as soon as he gets the chance.
As he is a figment of his own imagination I won't hold my breath....

[Chris]

The Countryside Alliance get increasingly desperate wheeling out 'Tommy Atkins'.
If he is a soldier im sure the MOD will be interested in him posting comments about breaking the law as soon as he gets the chance.
As he is a figment of his own imagination I won't hold my breath....

[Paul Flynn]

Fascinating that the alleged 'Tommy Atkins' has not replied. He is clearly an avid reader of this blog.He must have seen my reply to him . Silence proves guilt, I think.
As you say Chris, it's another feeble wheeze by the Countryside Alliance cretins.