Another example of a labour government when being confronted with something out of their comfort zone. Going into blind panic.
Here he lays it out:
On 11 November 2008, the frigate HMS Cumberland intercepted a suspected pirate dhow. Eight suspected pirates were arrested.
It all sounded a rather well conducted operation, but curiously the Government spinmasters were not out telling us all of this NuLab triumph. I tried to find out more from the private office of the relevant Defence Minister, but was passed from one telephone extension to another, finishing up at one stage with the security guard at the main door.
That was the start. Next comes the killer:
Eventually I found a friendly official who told me that there was a problem because the Home and Foreign Offices were in a state of (I think she used the word “concern”, but “panic” seemed closer to the truth) over the possibilty that if the suspect pirates were brought here for trial they might claim political asylum.
The whole article is here and vindicates me in my article I wrote last year.
Luckily Mr Tebbit has the contacts to find such information out but they didn't seem to work too well in this case.
ReplyDeleteShows the senior civil servants report in the papers today has considerable substance doesn't it FE.
"Shows the senior civil servants report in the papers today has considerable substance doesn't it FE."
ReplyDeleteYes Subrosa. There now crawling out of the woodwork. Only 13 years too late though.