Simon Carr: Clauses, amendments and hot air. Just how the PM likes it
In future, a minister will be able to interrupt an inquest to kick out the jury, dismiss the coroner and declare the proceedings secret. Why? One reason might be that the soldier, say, lacked body armour, bullets or boots and the coroner was expressing naive disapproval. You can’t have a jury hearing a case like that. They might talk. It wouldn’t be in the public interest for such matters to get out. Oh no, it would damage confidence in the Government.
Oh, and if the new coroner “misbehaves”, he or she can be “revoked” as well. “Misbehaviour” isn’t defined but we can assume it would be misbehaviour to criticise ministers or the ministry or suggest the death was somehow avoidable or unnecessary or possibly even undesirable.
Quite a change, that.
Posted on June 11th, 2008 at 6:42pm under Affronts to democracy, Brown
| Related posts... • Jackie Ashley: The party should remember that pride comes before a fall • A pedant writes • Jean-Charles de Menezes summed up |
• Permalink • Trackback • Subscribe |
|
|
|
• Comments Off |