Damian Green Arrest Scandal

Although I am a Green Party activist, I share the deep concern at this apparent abuse of police powers, even though he is a Tory. Now they know what it feels like.

Nine hours in custody is very boring (I speak as a Trident Faslane arrest veteran). I hope he had a book. I had a half a history of Scotland (hastily torn in half by a fellow protestor before we were banked up) but that was pretty boring in itself (McA killed McB who was in turn killed by McC).

If Ministers were not informed (as a Minister claimed on the Today programme), the government officials who took this decision must be outed and disciplined.

Luckily the Green Party has policy on this, fresh from the last Conference:
PA803
Civil servants will be responsible for their actions. If an error arises due to actions a government officer, that officer will be professionally accountable, according to guidelines laid down to match the magnitude of the error, up to and including dismissal. A code of ethics will be made available to every government officer, which will include guidelines for when the officer has a duty to act as a whistleblower.

(later)
These are the points we should be concerned about

1. abuse of Parliamentary privilege, which gives the people's representatives (MPs) freedom to handle information.
2. abuse of the Terrorism Act. Recall that the anti-terrorist police were active against Icelandic bankers too. Should we take this as a sign that they have not enough to do in investigating terrorists?
3. If Ministers really were not in the loop, then permanent secretary at the Home Office, Sir David Normington must take responsibility. Recall that at the last conference, we took the far-sighted action to pass the following motion:

PA803
Civil servants will be responsible for their actions. If an error arises due to actions a government officer, that officer will be professionally accountable, according to guidelines laid down to match the magnitude of the error, up to and including dismissal. A code of ethics will be made available to every government officer, which will include guidelines for when the officer has a duty to act as a whistleblower.

I think we should be calling for Sir David Normington to be investigated, and if found guilty to be stripped of his knighthood and his job.

Maybe we should consider street demonstrations on this matter.