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| Aitken to lead study on prisons | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Disgraced former Cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken, who was jailed for perjury, is to lead a study into prison reform for a social policy group. | |
| He will head a taskforce for Iain Duncan Smith's Centre for Social Justice, which gives advice to Tory leader David Cameron issues. | |
| Mr Aitken was jailed in 1999 for perjury during a libel action which he had left the Cabinet to fight. | Mr Aitken was jailed in 1999 for perjury during a libel action which he had left the Cabinet to fight. |
| He told the BBC that "poachers" sometimes made "useful gamekeepers". | He told the BBC that "poachers" sometimes made "useful gamekeepers". |
| 'Heavy price' | 'Heavy price' |
| Asked if he was making a political comeback, he replied: "No, and I don't ever expect to. | Asked if he was making a political comeback, he replied: "No, and I don't ever expect to. |
| "I made a bad mistake - I paid a heavy price for it and I expect to go on paying a price for it. "And that's life and I have to live with that." | "I made a bad mistake - I paid a heavy price for it and I expect to go on paying a price for it. "And that's life and I have to live with that." |
| Mr Aitken earlier told the Observer newspaper: "It is an assignment well worth taking extremely seriously. | Mr Aitken earlier told the Observer newspaper: "It is an assignment well worth taking extremely seriously. |
| "This isn't an ego trip for me. This is a job to be done. I have a very good team who I think will help to do it well." | "This isn't an ego trip for me. This is a job to be done. I have a very good team who I think will help to do it well." |
| Mr Aitken resigned as chief secretary to the Treasury in 1995 so he could sue the Guardian over allegations that a Saudi businessman had paid for him to stay at the Paris Ritz in breach of ministerial rules. | Mr Aitken resigned as chief secretary to the Treasury in 1995 so he could sue the Guardian over allegations that a Saudi businessman had paid for him to stay at the Paris Ritz in breach of ministerial rules. |
| There was a personal rehabilitation for Jonathan Aitken during his time in jail Nick WoodCentre for Social Justice | There was a personal rehabilitation for Jonathan Aitken during his time in jail Nick WoodCentre for Social Justice |
| Launching the action, he insisted that the "simple sword of truth" would help him win. | Launching the action, he insisted that the "simple sword of truth" would help him win. |
| But the case collapsed in 1997 and Mr Aitken was later found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice in 1999. | But the case collapsed in 1997 and Mr Aitken was later found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice in 1999. |
| He served almost seven months of his 18-month sentence before being released in January 2000. | He served almost seven months of his 18-month sentence before being released in January 2000. |
| Former Tory leader Mr Duncan Smith will formally unveil the appointment on Monday. | Former Tory leader Mr Duncan Smith will formally unveil the appointment on Monday. |
| 'Direct experience' | 'Direct experience' |
| Nick Wood, media adviser to the Centre for Social Justice, told the BBC: "There was a personal rehabilitation for Jonathan Aitken during his time in jail. | Nick Wood, media adviser to the Centre for Social Justice, told the BBC: "There was a personal rehabilitation for Jonathan Aitken during his time in jail. |
| "He has written about this, he has talked about it and he has campaigned for prison reform." | "He has written about this, he has talked about it and he has campaigned for prison reform." |
| Explaining Mr Duncan Smith's thinking, he said: "One of the things that Iain is keen on is that people leading political groups should have some direct experience of the subjects they are working on. | Explaining Mr Duncan Smith's thinking, he said: "One of the things that Iain is keen on is that people leading political groups should have some direct experience of the subjects they are working on. |
| "I think Jonathan Aitken certainly has the experience of jail and he has shown a great deal of thought and interest in it since." | "I think Jonathan Aitken certainly has the experience of jail and he has shown a great deal of thought and interest in it since." |
| Peter Preston, who edited the Guardian at the time of the court case, told BBC 5 Live that Mr Aitken's appointment could send out the wrong signals. | Peter Preston, who edited the Guardian at the time of the court case, told BBC 5 Live that Mr Aitken's appointment could send out the wrong signals. |
| "Basically, had we lost on all that false testimony, we would have been out as an organisation well over £1m in damages and legal costs." | "Basically, had we lost on all that false testimony, we would have been out as an organisation well over £1m in damages and legal costs." |
| A Conservative Party spokeswoman said: "The CSJ and the Conservative Party are two separate entities and they make their appointments independently. | A Conservative Party spokeswoman said: "The CSJ and the Conservative Party are two separate entities and they make their appointments independently. |
| "The CSJ has done some excellent work for us in the past and we look forward to seeing more of their findings in due course." | "The CSJ has done some excellent work for us in the past and we look forward to seeing more of their findings in due course." |