Blair Sets New Record

**Tom Paine** · December 14, 2006, 03:44 PM

The first post-War Labour leader to win more than 2 General Elections running has set another record, though this time he won't be celebrating it. In the cash-for-honours scandal, Mr Blair

has been interviewed by police investigating cash for honours allegations.

Mr Blair was not interviewed under caution and he was not accompanied by a lawyer, his spokesman said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6179911.stm

According to the BBC,

It is thought to be the first time a serving prime minister has been questioned by police conducting a criminal investigation.

Now, what I want to say is somewhat an exoneration of Tony Blair in this matter, in actual fact, for once. He wasn't the first to do this; the practice is centuries old. Lloyd George wanted to publish a price list of peerages when his government was running into money troubles, and be open about selling them off; but the Parliament passed legislation making selling peerages illegal. Since then, it is naive to believe it stopped. No-one was caught doing it, that's all. So what is the Labour Party's real fault in this whole affair? To be honest, it is not doing it, its getting caught doing it...

**Sammur-amat** · December 14, 2006, 04:02 PM

The first post-War Labour leader to win more than 2 General Elections running has set another record, ...Mr Blair

well hes a recorder & uk should built him a monument in sum beautiful god forsaken place and then bury him underneath...

Lloyd George wanted to publish a price list of peerages... No-one was caught doing it, that's all. ...Labour Party ....its getting caught doing it...

For the most watched nation in the world lots of things pass unseen...

**Aristophanes** · December 14, 2006, 04:06 PM

What was the money being used for? I imagine it wasn't going into general revenues to help fund the NHS...or to provide poor Oliver Twist with another bowle of porridge at the local workhouse.

**Tom Paine** · December 14, 2006, 04:28 PM

Heck no, not in this case. This was "loans" to the Labour Party to fund matters like... re-election maybe. Course, as I said, he was just first to get caught...

**Erik** · December 14, 2006, 04:56 PM

What are "honours"? and why would you want to pay money for them?

**LoZz** · December 14, 2006, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Erik

What are "honours"? and why would you want to pay money for them?

people give the labour party money and in return they are "honoured" with peerages and become lords in the house of lords.

however the problem is its a crime to raise funds by offering peerages.

**~~Sit down, fat dog~~** · December 14, 2006, 05:00 PM

A position in the House of Lords, typically. An easy job with large pay. Problem is that reform of the House of Lords was meant to be one of New Labour's goal and since it plays a vital part in our democratic government selling them off is totally reprehensible.

**Libertine** · December 14, 2006, 05:20 PM

All thats going to happen is that Scotland Yard sit down with Blair and the dialogue will end up a little like this:

Police: Did you sell Peerages?
Blair: The Tory's and the Liberals have all sold peerages and have done so for 200 years, to bring charges against me you will have to bring charges agains them all.....do you want to be a lord?

**Tom Paine** · December 15, 2006, 05:25 AM

Its also a crime to give a peerage in return for money (ie, rather than saying "Peerages, £10,000,0000 a dozen" getting the £10m and then giving out a dozen peerages [bulk discount... buy 10, get 2 free])

**the Black Prince** · December 15, 2006, 05:35 AM

its cash for honours, not just peerages.

typically, it was a barony on the table, but also involved are knighthoods and O/C/MBEs

**Tom Paine** · December 15, 2006, 05:43 AM

I'm not sure it was ever anything on the table. It was simply given for services to "the Party"; party honours, not state honours... which effectively means it was given because they gave the party cash.