It is no secret that Alistair Carmichael is a friend of mine. Not least because he told parliament so in 2005:
“The Government’s signals to the Uzbek regime have not always been helpful. I am thinking especially of their treatment of my old friend, the former ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, who has done us all a great service in graphically highlighting the appalling human rights record of the Uzbekistan Government.”
Alistair was one of very few MPs who raised the dreadful human rights abuses in Uzbekistan even before I got there. He has a genuine interest in human rights worldwide, and had a much better motivation in going into politics than the large majority of politicians. He was never anything like a diehard unionist in personal conviction. I felt quite proud for him when he was asked during the campaign what would his role be in negotiating for the UK the conditions of separation after a Yes vote. He replied that he was Scottish, and he would be on the Scottish, not the UK side.
I have never chosen my friends by my politics, and I am not one of those people who is only happy in the company of those who agree with me. I am happiest with a few drinks and a good argument in intellectually challenging company. I also do know that all human beings are flawed, and I don’t expect perfection. So I have no intention of ending friendship with Alistair.
All of which makes it hard, but I have to say that I really do think he needs to resign as an MP, and to do so immediately.
It was not just a mistake to leak that memo, it was wrong. It was even more wrong because he himself believed it was written in error and did not give Nicola Sturgeon’s true opinion. But in an election in which the Scottish Lib Dems faced wipeout, he saw the advantage of playing this trick. That was wrong on many levels. I would add that I feel very confident that Alistair would never have done it without consulting Clegg first. Clegg should resign too. And instead of the usual Cabinet Office stitch-up, there needs to be a real inquiry into the whole history and production of that extraordinary minute, and whether Alistair was set up to do it. The Scottish Government needs to be an equal partner in constituting that inquiry.
Alistair has no alternative but to resign because he then repeatedly lied about what he had done. It is much better that he goes now with a full and frank apology to everyone, especially his constituents. When you have blatantly and repeatedly lied about something, you cannot expect people to give you their trust again. That it even seems a possibility is an example of the erosion of ethical standards, of which Tony Blair is of course the greatest example as liar, mass murderer and multi-millionaire.
But we should not lose sight of the real lesson. The corrupt and rotten structures of the UK state are so insidious that they can take a fundamentally decent man like Alistair and lead him to behave so badly. There is something within the rotting organisms of UK institutions in their decline from Imperial power and dependence on corrupt banking and corporate systems, that infects almost all who enter them. While I worked for the FCO I saw really nice colleagues, decent men and women I worked with, go along with organising what they knew to be illegal war in Iraq, and with facilitating the torture and extraordinary rendition programmes. Because that was what paid their mortgage, looked after their children, and above all gave them social status as high British diplomats.
Westminster gives untramelled executive power to a party with just 23% of the support of the registered electorate. The majority of parliamentarians are unelected Lords a great many of whom are themselves mired in corruption – and some much worse. The organs of state power are used to facilitate the flow of money from the poor to the very wealthy, which is the actual cause of the deficit in public finances. The rewards of being on the inside are sweet; those outside are measurably dispossessed of wealth, and measurably alienated in politics. The media is controlled by this corporate state.
Alistair Carmichael’s story is not the story of a bad man. It is the story of what happens to a good man who buys in to UK power structures. The real lesson of the sad story of this period in Alistair’s life is that the UK is evil, corrupt and corrupting, and that the UK state needs swiftly to be broken up.
Its just mebbe wot Kenny said “the civil service elite which really runs the country”. All we can do is lie back and think of England, yes its the Beast of the Revelation, ask any JW. And there is mention too of a second more powerful Beast (from underground -negev nuclear missile silos?) in the coming war against Iran.
When Carmichael spoke up for you, Craig, he was in the opposition, wasn’t he?
Power corrupts.
Yes, Well said Tony. 2:29
“We are oft to blame in this, ‘Tis too much proved, that with devotion’s visage And pious action we do sugar o’er The devil himself.”
Technicolour. It’s like life and death. Both sides of the same coin.
[mods-cm-org – sent to Spam at 22:36 yesterday]
https://soundcloud.com/the-polemicist/3-the-money-trick-skit
https://soundcloud.com/the-polemicist/4-capitalists-skit
Is this new? The skids are under him.
‘Following complaints from the public, Kathryn Hudson, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, is to investigate complaints about his conduct.’
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/alistair-carmichael-investigated-parliamentary-watchdog-5751661
The head of the Civil Service investigates the Civil Service.
Paul Flynn, a longstanding member of the public administration select committee, which oversees the civil service described it as “an investigation involving very few people.”
The enquiry takes seven weeks.
It costs 1.4 million pounds.
Someone explain, please.
Are there no political science/statistics aficionados who can delve into the record 66% turnouts in the tory seats won, despite the libdems having stayed home or just mebbe a few voted green.Its clear the absentee libdem votes were stuffed as tory casts possibly via postal balloting?
11 professional pollsters cannot be wrong, I will eat my keyboard.
I expect that there were some lawyers’ fees charged Node!
~~~
Alex Salmond weighs in. On video.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/589812/video-people-voted-carmichael-false-pretences-hes-deep-trouble-says-salmond/
Thanks mods.
“In a popularly constituted system of society such men as these would be regarded as a danger to the community, and would be placed under such restraint as would prevent them from harming themselves or others.”…
It’s my observation that some have no moral center. In the Pursuit of individual power they have sacrificed everything human. And I think this systemic.
We will see won’t we with the SNP. Myself i’m critical of the lauded speeches of some. I don’t believe I want to gain peoples trust, or represent them. I think such an outlook arrogant. And when it’s clear most have lost all capacity to even represent themselves to any degree in a dignified manner, just aiming for that is perhaps something.
God knows how it will work. I don’t think I could ever stand to be a representative in an election for the Greens. But I encourage other people to join and stand for themselves. ??
The only semi legitimate government would be one with an inbuilt self dismantling mechanism, that once gained enough popular backing would devolve powers back to the community, maintain perhaps some administrative functions agreed on by consensus of the community’s.
Btw, Hearing about a visit to Scotland recently, apparently it’s still awful in many places.
“The media is controlled by this corporate state.”
Robert Fisk? Peter Hitchens?? Paul Staines??? I could go on….
Don’t be silly.
Ha!
Fisk works for Lebedev.
Hitchens works for Rothermere.
Staines is just a pretence. Also well named.
Suggest you pay more attention to Medialens.
Republicofscotland
24 May, 2015 – 3:28 pm
“Continuing on the topic of Mr Carmichael he is, believe it or not, a floating sheriff at Hamilton Sheriff court…”
……………………………..
Let’s hope is not found floating in the Peedie Sea
Apologies if previously posted.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-32874009
John Spencer-Davis
24 May, 2015 – 11:03 pm
John S Warren
24/05/2015 8:37pm
………………………….
Will you stop talking to yourself John.
@Enoch – stop ordering too much #666 at the Sum Dum Goy in Chinatown, fGs !!
Nothing about this in the UK MSM.
http://www.georgegalloway.net/harassment-case-dropped-after-mensch-phone-calls/
Carmichael obviously has a stubborn streak.
‘Alistair Carmichael rejects calls to resign over leaked Nicola Sturgeon memo
3 hours ago’ BBC Scotland page.
Why did Wallace his predecessor step down? He is just 9 years older than Carmichael.
http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-wallace-of-tankerness/630
Both are elders of the Church of Scotland.
They do it a lot more honestly in the honest to goodness fascist Ukraine.
Each Oligarch has his own territory and his own Media, and when the chief Oligarch criticisms the others, they return the compliment by asking where is the chocolate king’s money coming from?
Down our way the plebs have been through the state education system, and they will believe any old fairy tale fed to them.
Proof of the pudding; they all pay the astronomical gas/electric/fuel bills and they are told they are paying too much cuz they haven switched!!!! See how well the rithmetic bit is working out?
Fedup
A singularly silly and incoherent post at 14h16 even by your standards.
Mr Scorgie
“John Spencer-Davis
24 May, 2015 – 11:03 pm
John S Warren
24/05/2015 8:37pm
………………………….
Will you stop talking to yourself John.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++
I can see that JSD’s persistence is getting to you, Doug.
You should address his arguments rather than making silly comments. Or, alternatively, just keep quiet.
The recent sentencing of the former PM of the State of Israel, Ehud Olmert, to 8 months inside (on top of the 6 years he was previously sentenced to) illustrates well how the State of Israel is a beacon of democracy and the rule of law in the Middle East.
Can anyone imagine the former Head of Govt. of any other state in the Middle East being put on trial – and convicted – for the offences on which he was charged?
No wonder there is no rush of Arab Israelis to leave that hell-hole for a better life in one of the other Middle Eastern paradises!
“A singularly silly and incoherent post at 14h16 even by your standards.”
Liquid lunch
Or, to take another example, the trial and conviction of the former President of the State of Israel, Moshe Katsev, for various offences of a sexual nature.
Whereas in the Arab paradises in the region sexual offences – against prisoners and opponents of the régimes – are a matter of state policy.
Question of the Day : who here believes that a future Palestinian state would, as regards its governance, follow the Israeli model of democracy and the rule of law or follow the practices of the surrounding Arab states?
Dreoilin
I hadn’t thought of that, well spotted! 🙂
Mordechai Vanunu (Hebrew: מרדכי ואנונו; born 14 October 1954), also known as John Crossman,is a former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel’s nuclear weapons programme to the British press in 1986.
He was subsequently lured to Italy by a Mossad agent, where he was drugged and abducted by Israeli intelligence agents. He was transported to Israel and ultimately convicted in a trial that was held behind closed doors.
Habb old boy, Israel really is a beacon of justice,just ask Mordechai Vanunu.
As for other Middle Eastern countries showing a shinning example of judiciary most are in a state of rubble,the others have been have corrupt western puppets as they’re leaders.
Or swear alliegence to the western powers,like Saudi Arabia in order not to be razed to the ground.
You must try harder old chap.
Habby old boy,I can’t quite figure out why you’d shoot yourself so blatantly in the foot by encouraging a discussion on the morals of Israel.
You of all people must know you’re looking at a severe thrashing,best leave it alone.
Climb back into bed and keep dreaming,that’s what you do best.
Doug Scorgie
25/05/2015 1:17pm
“Will you stop talking to yourself John.”
?
I am not talking to myself.
J
Doug Scorgie The unMENSCHyionable should have winged back across the Atlantic to Hay on Wye. There she could have nabbed GG.
A weird and eclectic mix of talking heads is assembled, including Aaronovitch, Alibhai-Brown, Edwina Currie and dozens more. The Lord preserve us. Even BLiar’s former speech writer is there.
They probably all have enough self belief to think they can enlighten us and put the world right.
£88 a pop for the 10 days which includes music. Food available.
https://howthelightgetsin.iai.tv/
The programme is yards long. https://howthelightgetsin.iai.tv/tickets-and-programme/event-tickets/all-sessions/
No chance of this thread remaining troll free. What a shame.
He spent all of his sentence in solitary and he was ill treated and abused by the guards throughout his incarceration. He was allowed only two visitors per year for a short period.
He has renounced Judaism and he is now a Christian and spends his days in a Christian Monastery in Palestine (West Bank). He was back in jail for breaking a part of very restrictive and draconian terms of release (he talked to the press), and he is bound over to never leave zionsitan or Palestine.
I have the utmost respect and regards for Mordechai Vanunu, in fact his discarded nail cuttings are far more honorable and precious than the pusillanimous waste of food that masquerade as the “liberal/concerned/etc” keyboard warrior assigned to this blog and elsewhere, pushing the sugar coated narrative of Jewish Supremacy.