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| Tories warn of leaks 'stitch-up' | Tories warn of leaks 'stitch-up' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Conservatives have voiced anger at being excluded from talks on Wednesday over the Damian Green leak row. | The Conservatives have voiced anger at being excluded from talks on Wednesday over the Damian Green leak row. |
| Leader David Cameron warned of a possible "stitch-up" after receiving an e-mail on planned meeting between ministers and Commons officials. | Leader David Cameron warned of a possible "stitch-up" after receiving an e-mail on planned meeting between ministers and Commons officials. |
| He said all parties should be present at the talks to discuss the arrest of Tory immigration spokesman Mr Green, and the police search of his office. | He said all parties should be present at the talks to discuss the arrest of Tory immigration spokesman Mr Green, and the police search of his office. |
| Labour said the meeting was merely about parliamentary procedure. | Labour said the meeting was merely about parliamentary procedure. |
| Mr Green was arrested on Thursday and held for nine hours on suspicion of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office in relation to an inquiry into leaks from the Home Office. This is a completely improper meeting convened by the government privately with the Commons authorities and senior civil servants Dominic Grieve, shadow home secretary | Mr Green was arrested on Thursday and held for nine hours on suspicion of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office in relation to an inquiry into leaks from the Home Office. This is a completely improper meeting convened by the government privately with the Commons authorities and senior civil servants Dominic Grieve, shadow home secretary |
| MPs have expressed misgivings about how police were allowed to enter Parliament to search Mr Green's office. | MPs have expressed misgivings about how police were allowed to enter Parliament to search Mr Green's office. |
| These concerns have prompted the Commons Speaker Michael Martin to promise a statement on the matter on Wednesday. | These concerns have prompted the Commons Speaker Michael Martin to promise a statement on the matter on Wednesday. |
| 'Stitch-up' | 'Stitch-up' |
| But the Conservatives say the e-mail - mistakenly sent to one of the party's officials - showed ministers were seeking to "stitch up" a story about the background to the police action ahead of the statement. | But the Conservatives say the e-mail - mistakenly sent to one of the party's officials - showed ministers were seeking to "stitch up" a story about the background to the police action ahead of the statement. |
| The document reportedly shows Commons leader Harriet Harman asking Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Justice Secretary Jack Straw and Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell to meet the clerk to the Commons and the sergeant at arms to discuss the "arrangements of the Queen's Speech and considerations in advance of the Speaker's statement on Police Action and Parliament". | The document reportedly shows Commons leader Harriet Harman asking Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Justice Secretary Jack Straw and Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell to meet the clerk to the Commons and the sergeant at arms to discuss the "arrangements of the Queen's Speech and considerations in advance of the Speaker's statement on Police Action and Parliament". |
| The Tories say ministers are trying to "manage" the statement. | The Tories say ministers are trying to "manage" the statement. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| "This is a completely improper meeting convened by the government privately with the Commons authorities and senior civil servants," said shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve. | "This is a completely improper meeting convened by the government privately with the Commons authorities and senior civil servants," said shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron said a meeting of the sort being proposed would "not be right" and all parties should be present. | Conservative leader David Cameron said a meeting of the sort being proposed would "not be right" and all parties should be present. |
| But a spokesman for Ms Harman said the meeting had "nothing to do with the contents" of the statement. | But a spokesman for Ms Harman said the meeting had "nothing to do with the contents" of the statement. |
| "The content of the Speaker's statement is entirely a matter for the Speaker," he said. | |
| "The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the parliamentary business and handling of issues that arise from the fact that the Speaker's statement and the Queen's Speech will be happening on the same day." | "The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the parliamentary business and handling of issues that arise from the fact that the Speaker's statement and the Queen's Speech will be happening on the same day." |
| 'Bad blood' | 'Bad blood' |
| However, BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said: "Harriet Harman details in the e-mail several principles she sees as vital, including that MPs must be able to do their work and that they are not above the law; matters that would appear to be central to the issues the speaker must discuss." | However, BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said: "Harriet Harman details in the e-mail several principles she sees as vital, including that MPs must be able to do their work and that they are not above the law; matters that would appear to be central to the issues the speaker must discuss." |
| Ms Harman has previously said she is "very concerned" by Mr Green's arrest and understands MPs' anger at the way police officers raided his parliamentary and constituency bases. | |
| She has suggested protection for MPs' offices must be reviewed in light of the episode. | She has suggested protection for MPs' offices must be reviewed in light of the episode. |
| Lib Dem MP Nick Harvey, a member of the Commons Commission which runs the House, said he had not been consulted on whether the police should be allowed to carry out a search on the premises. | Lib Dem MP Nick Harvey, a member of the Commons Commission which runs the House, said he had not been consulted on whether the police should be allowed to carry out a search on the premises. |
| "I do not think any other members were either," he added. | "I do not think any other members were either," he added. |
| But he said he believed the Speaker would have taken legal and other advice before making a decision. | But he said he believed the Speaker would have taken legal and other advice before making a decision. |
| The home secretary has defended the police's operational independence and insisted that she was not informed about the arrest in advance. | The home secretary has defended the police's operational independence and insisted that she was not informed about the arrest in advance. |
| Some MPs have threatened to mount a protest over the issue on Wednesday, the day the government will unveil its legislative programme for the next parliament in the Queen's Speech. | Some MPs have threatened to mount a protest over the issue on Wednesday, the day the government will unveil its legislative programme for the next parliament in the Queen's Speech. |