Charles Clarke's return
Remember Charles Clarke?
How could you forget his barely contained anger on the day he was sacked as home secretary after what became known as the foreign prisoner fiasco. Ever since he's maintained his silence. Today that silence ends and his fightback begins.
He's sent to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee giving his version of events. It makes one essential point - that although he had known about the problem posed by the growing number of foreign prisoners in British prisons for many months, "it was only in late March 2006 that ministers, including myself, were made aware of the failure to consider for deportation some foreign national prisoners at the end of their sentence". The perception that he'd been warned but did nothing is what, he clearly believes, did for him.
On tonight's Ten O'Clock News and at greater length on Newsnight he will also give his response to the suggestion that the Home Office is not - and was not - "fit for purpose". It will make for interesting viewing.
I'm 
Comments
I am thoroughly looking forward to these interviews tonight- is Paxman doing the newsnight interview because it was good viewing on the last interview with him so tonights looks promising!!!
Nick
Will today come to have a Howe-like status in the history of British politics?
If the home office is not fit for purpose then it has to be New Labour's fault. Nine years in power is enough time to have made it fit for purpose.
Clearly Clarke's time in charge, which was short, was not enough time for a failing organisation to be turned round. It will however be the measure of the man if he accepts that Straw and Blunkett before him were more concerned with spin than the substance of improvement.
Personally I hope he says this because I believe that had he been left there to do a job it would have been more likely to have been done well than under the leadership of Reid who has never stayed long enough at any department to demonstrate anything other than bullies prosper.
I to am looking forward to Charles Clarke interview on Newsnight; I think he always comes across very well on interviews. He is one of the very few senior politicians that is prepared to answer questions intelligently. A Clarke v Paxman showdown will be required viewing.
There was a interesting piece in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph by Matthew d'Ancona:
'Will Charles Clarke be Blair's Geoffrey Howe?’
I think a key point of the article is that Howe's attack came in Parliament. Where as Clarke intervention will come in the media and thus people such as Nick Robinson etc will have a key role in interpreting what Charles Clarke says.
Nick - do you happen to know whether Clarke is going to make a Personal Statement to the House, and if not, why not? Is it that he fears being cast in the Geoffrey Howe role, perhaps?
Was Charles the scape goat for the local election results.....is this payback time?
Can't you just picture the scenario.
Teflon T Charles I want you to put into place this "Bright Idea" that Cherie thought up while soaking in the bath last night.
"Drop everything else Charles I want the home office to concentrate on........."
Charles But Mr President we still have X,Y and Z left over to deal with which Blunkett left undone.
Election results...... preverbial hits the fan....
Teflon Charles you're just not up to the job.........you'll have to go!
Hope it's Paxo as well
Nick..same old story..sacked or pushed Minister very cross about losing his job...wants his revenge..
self justifying himself...wants to put the record straight etc etc we have seen it all before at least ever since my first vote in 1964 !!!
The only Minister who said she was not up to the job was Estelle Morris
...and resigned..although she now carps from the sidelines. Can you imagine if in private industry an employee was sacked and then made waves afterwards he would be laughed upon by his ex firm.Fact is that
Clarke like others before him and since were not up to it. SELF PRAISE
IS NO RECOMMENDATION.The only future for Clarke is to get a proper job in the real world like the rest of us.
I have said it before but the Good Ship New Labour is holed now neath the water line and is sinking very very slowly the hands on deck will go down soon but the Captain is preparing his exit. .. reminds me of the Bond films when all is crashing to disaster the so called Genius makes his escape bit like the current Captain Blair.
Well we have the motive but what is the objective? I can suggest three but am open to offers....
1 Sink Tony
2 Get closer to Gordon
3 Convince everyone ( well at least someone ) that he was a wronged "big hitter".
Maybe Jonathon Ross should interview him !
Forget Charlie boy.. When is Gordon B going to do a meaningful interview? He's shyed away from a proper grilling for years. Any interviews he has done were by wishy washy guardian reading interviewers who didnt ask him anything probing.
Charles Clarke's letter to the home affairs select committee:
Makes for a interesting read.
I have some sympathy (not much, but some) with the civil servants who are charged with implementing policies that they must secretly know will not work. An example: I am a target shooter and hence interested in firearms laws, which have become more and more draconian for years, despite providing no reduction in crime whatever. Gun crime still rises, and who gets the blame? The journalists who mount scare campaigns demanding "action" or the politicians who indulge them? When did you last hear a journalist or politician admit they got something wrong? Nope, it must be the low level serfs. As someone who's been in that position myself I don't envy them at all.
Is the fault-line about who books the flight for the released foreign prisoner, and which department (i.e. prison or immigration)foots the bill? If so, shouldn't the Home Secretary have done something to bridge this line?
None of the New Labour Kings are wearing any clothes