Wednesday 1 April 2020

Jeopardise This

Q. What is the difference between the Labour Leadership Election and the Roman Empire?
A. The Roman Empire did eventually come to an end.

When Keir Starmer is crowned on Saturday, then Boris Johnson ought to announce that the immemorial protection against double jeopardy, which is fundamental to the presumption of innocence, was going to be restored at least for offences that were alleged to have been committed after the coming into effect of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Not that the Conservatives defended that ancient liberty at the time, but even so.

What would Starmer say? "Stephen Lawrence"? Stephen Lawrence would have turned 46 this year. Go round Eltham now and and tell the black boys who could have been his sons about how his case "stopped the Met from being racist". Go on. I dare you. And go over the people who had been convicted of offences of which they had previously been acquitted. I would bet you anything you liked that they were disproportionately of a duskier hue.

As well as being almost invariably working-class. At the same time as this announcement, then Johnson ought also to announce the inquiry into Orgreave. Again, what would a former Director of Public Prosecutions say to that? The Centre is the think tank for this new era. Please give generously.

No comments:

Post a Comment