Extradition, Expulsion, Election

The Home Affairs Select Committee is absolutely correct to demand that applications for the extradition of British citizens to the United States be tested in court, and that there be a forum bar whereby a British judge would decide in which of the two countries justice would better be served by a trial. However, for David Cameron to do anything about this, then he and his supporters would have to be Tories, while their Liberal Democrat partners would have to believe in liberty and democracy. So, Ed Miliband, over to you.

Certain columnists who have long had trouble distinguishing among Britain, America and Israel have been running a smear campaign against Christopher Tappin. And the American Ambassador has been lobbying our MPs to oppose that restoration of our liberty and sovereignty. I do not know when the expelled Iranian Ambassador ever interfered directly in our parliamentary process. When can we expect the American Ambassador to be expelled? Why has he not already been?

There is no reason to ask what would happen if a British Ambassador in Washington behaved like that. He never would, because he would know that no one on Capitol Hill would pay him the tiniest heed if he tried. That total lack of attention would be entirely correct. What does it say about our lot, that a foreign emissary sees any point in making such approaches to them?