Cash for peerages scandal in Britain

This video is about the cash for honours scandal.

From British daily The Morning Star:

Legal but dishonest

(Friday 20 July 2007)

THE decision not to prosecute over the cash-for-honours issue has been taken and new Labour has co-ordinated its response in the usual way.

It’s been a terrible ordeal, we’re relieved that it’s over, we knew that we were not guilty and we’re pleased to have been vindicated, but we won’t criticise the police because they were only doing their job.

So, that’s it – magnanimity in the face of misplaced allegations, which, nonetheless merited investigation.

The narrow legal focus on what took place ignores the fact that the former prime minister’s secret pursuit of large loans from the rich, behind the back of his party, has contributed to heightened public contempt for politicians.

Tony Blair pushed through legislation to force parties to identify big donors to their funds.

He then undermined the spirit of that legislation by encouraging his bagman Lord Levy to solicit cash in the form of loans.

This was entirely legal but politically dishonest.

The former prime minister was clearly aware that his behaviour was dodgy, which is why he kept the elected party chairman and the elected party treasurer in the dark about his election slush fund.

See also here.

And here.