Bob Quick to apologise to Tories

Damian Green inquiry officer Bob Quick apologises for Tory slur - Guardian
"Britain's most senior anti-terrorism officer today made an unreserved apology to the Conservative party for accusing it of trying to undermine his investigation into the Tory frontbencher Damian Green by planting a newspaper story said to have endangered his family.

The Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Bob Quick retracted his remarks after the Tory leader, David Cameron, demanded he withdraw the 'completely baseless' allegations."This is an amazing reversal of the usual situation, with the Tories, who usually back the police 100%, at loggerheads with them. With a few honourable exceptions, the Labour Party are quietly supporting the police because the Tories are in conflict with the police. In this way, political thinking is overtaken by party political tribalism.

The stark reality is that the arrest of Damien Green is a massive challenge to the right working of democracy, and it is very serious when police arrest a democratic representative who was doing his job. NuLabour is trying to make out that this is a storm in a teacup - but just imagine what they would be saying if the situation was reversed, and it was one of their Ministers who had been arrested.

We need to know who sent in the plods. Was it purely a police decision, (as Labour are trying to make out) or was the Civil Service in the form of Sir David Normington involved in the decision? He has confirmed that he was contacted by police just before the search.

Earlier stuff here.