Ken Clarke - 'old lace' quality

 

From Total Politics

 

The new justice secretary Chris Grayling, a favourite of the Tory right-wing who made history as the first non-lawyer to be appointed in the position, today took a bruising in the Commonsfrom Labour MPs. 

Labour MP Paul Flynn, later suspended from the Commons for calling defence secretary Philip Hammond a ‘liar’ on Afghanistan strategy, first challenged Grayling on the steps he planned to take to reduce the size of the prison population.

Grayling responded by saying that he had “no plans to reduce” the prison population, but instead was ensuring that more foreign nationals are being returned to their country of origin and that there is a better job of rehabilitation. 

Flynn hit back saying, “I’m not grateful for that cynical backward looking answer.” He criticised Grayling, who he said hadn’t recognised that despite, “all the fresh and dynamic teams that have come before the house and have been welcomed in the last 42 years, not one minister of justice had reduced recidivism by one iota”.

The maverick Flynn didn’t hold back, proclaiming that the House should regret losing, “a civilised and vintage popular secretary, the member for Rushcliffe, who demonstrated that he had a working brain, who understood the benefits of remedial justice. Haven’t we sadly exchanged old lace for arsenic?”

Grayling, taken aback by the attack, responded that he is, “making sure we tackle the rehabilitation challenge and stop people going back to prison again and again.”

Yet shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan pointed out that there is a “black hole” in the department, and that today’s National Audit Office report revealed there was a £130m loss of savings, since the Tory-led government took over 28 months ago, as a result of sentencing reforms not going ahead. Grayling maintained he was confident with the finances and that it was on track and that he wanted more for less while not engendering the public.   

 

Comments

[Paul Flynn]

Touched, moved and inspired by supportive comments on the Afghan slaughter. Thanks too for the offers of employment during my five days ban. Offers of doing a bit of tiling or bricklaying are appreciated..

[Paul Flynn]

Thanks Ad. Ken Clarke is far from saintly but he was great on restorative justice. He also also had the guts to push human practical policies that infuriated the Daily Mail. His replacement will continued the abject failure of 42 years when recidivism has not been reduced by one jot.

[Happy Ros]

As the mother of a serving Soldier in the British, I am so pleased to hear your words to day in The Commons, we need voices like your own in the Commons

Thank you for raising this

[Ad]

Good work on calling Hammond out and sticking to your guns Paul. It is not a popular position in parliament to criticise the Afghan war but the majority of the public are behind you. I wouldn't let condemnation from the House bother you, particularly as Hammond deliberately twisted your words and claimed you acted 'scandalously'. You probably made a few enemies but your cause is the right one and for the right reasons.

I think you will win in the end. I wouldn't worry what these liars say about your conduct. They are violent in their actions but hide behind the presumed respectability of their position. I hope you will continue to attack them Paul, their pompoous conceit will count for nothing.

[Ad]

Ken Clarke - 'Deputy Chairman and a director of British American Tobacco (BAT) (1998–2007), for which Clarke faced allegations relating to activities of BAT in lobbying the developing world to reject stronger health warnings on cigarette packets and evidence that that corporation had been involved in smuggling and targeting children with advertisements.'