Alistair Carmichael memo leak and inquiry: should he resign?

[paulb]

it is very odd.

[Ghostrider]

Just supposin', for a minute, that we accept Carmichael "lied" (which I don't believe has been proven beyond resonable doubt), but just suppose we do, because he "forgot" he'd authorised some lackey to publish a note.

 

Didn't his main rival do exactly the same by "forgetting" to inform the electorate that he was Eton educated and a Scottie Clan Chief? Seems moral high ground is hard come by wherever you go in politics - as someone already said, those who live in glasshouses etc.......

[Who Knows]

The civil servant report that was leaked was a third party account of a discussion which in Scots Law is hearsay. As there appears to be confusion about this term please feel free to read the attached educational link on the subject.

 

http://uk.practicallaw.com/books/9781845921651/chapter8

 

Alistair Carmichael, first party confession, has admitted his guilty in this case in respect of not stoping his special advisor breaching the official secrets act and releasing an official UK Government document and then not being honest about his role in the leak to the media following questioning by channel 4 and others. Link in above posts in respect of Radio Orkney interview explaining in his own words his rationale.

[Gorgonzola Butt-cheese]

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10767-protesters-call-for-election-re-run

 

We the people ??

 

This bunch of turkey's do not speak for me. 

 

Hang tight Carbuncle , you are no worse a liar than Salmond and Sturgeon!!

[Ghostrider]

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll39/Zeppelin36/image.jpg1_zps6mbhr6y8.jpg

To avoid any doubt Alistair Carmichael himself said the details of the memo were incorrect.

 

Not quite, that document is about as clear as mud as to what exactly it is he's saying was incorrect. He *might* be saying the contents of the actual memo are untrue, or he *might* be saying that the report on the contents of the memo as published by the Daily Telegraph is untrue, depending on how you read it. Two quite different things in the end.

[Colin]

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10767-protesters-call-for-election-re-run

 

We the people ??

 

This bunch of turkey's do not speak for me. 

 

Hang tight Carbuncle , you are no worse a liar than Salmond and Sturgeon!!

Don't speak for me either..

 

Maybe it should be;

"we, some of the people"

or

"we a few of the people"

or

"we, a couple of the people"

or

"we, maybe 50-60 of the people although, there are only about 2 dozen in the photo"

or

"we, the camera shy people"

 

Don't you just HATE it when people invoke the royal "we" and presume to speak for everyone, particularly when they can only genuinely speak for themselves and cannot prove that they are anything other than a minority. 

Must be taking the lead from a couple of our councillors..

[Ghostrider]

^ They might be able to get away with it if they substituted the "the" for a comma, but as its stands its as much of a "lie" as they're allegedly protesting about.

[Capeesh]

 

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll39/Zeppelin36/image.jpg1_zps6mbhr6y8.jpg

To avoid any doubt Alistair Carmichael himself said the details of the memo were incorrect.

 

 

Not quite, that document is about as clear as mud as to what exactly it is he's saying was incorrect. He *might* be saying the contents of the actual memo are untrue, or he *might* be saying that the report on the contents of the memo as published by the Daily Telegraph is untrue, depending on how you read it. Two quite different things in the end.

If it looks like a turd and smells like a turd it usually is a turd.

Just want to see fair play instead of a bullying witch hunt that is being gleefully(?) pusued by some individuals and, stony silence by others.

A number of Shetlanders and Orcadians, friends, neighbours, family members, workmates etc people you meet and chat with everyday trying to hold their MP to account does not constitute a "witch hunt."

Read Alistair Carmichaels apology above...the full force of the British state and a compliant media were brought to bear on Nicola Sturgeon in a smear which was, in his own admission "incorrect."

Now THAT is a witch hunt.

Where is your sense of "fair play" there?

[Ghostrider]

If it looks like a turd and smells like a turd it usually is a turd

 

That's how mistakes get made. If you're going to hang someone at least hang them for what they did say, not what you'd like to think they should have meant when they said what they did.

 

That letter is typical lawyer/politician speak, a lot of vague waffling double talk saying only a very little that can hold up to critical dissection.

[Claadehol]

I would just like to reiterate what has already been posted here, basically the small number of "protesters" claiming they speak for all of us.

 

The use of the phrase: " WE the people of Shetland " is an act of supreme arrogance. The vocal minority, as always, on the march again. Maybe nothing wrong with that, there's a right to protest, but not under that false banner. That banner offends quite a number of people I speak to, but they are not as vocal as they should be.

 

These protesters dont speak for me, and they certainly shouldnt claim that they do.

 

And I wonder what percentage are SNP supporters, one party state supporters, that's being downplayed of course.

[Capeesh]

I have to agree with the opinion about the banner "we the people of Shetland." it is an act of arrogance to assume they speak for all Shetlanders.

Similarly it is an act of arrogance to assume that the majority of Shetlanders are happy with their MP being all over the national and local media for using dirty tricks, smears and lies during an election campaign and only admitting his guilt after he had been re-elected.

Are the Lib Dem supporters even a little uncomfortable or embarrased about their man using these tactics for personal and party gain? Who knows, as others have said the majority of people keep their opinions to themselves.

[Distortio]

its as much of a "lie" as they're allegedly protesting about.

still, there are worse things, eh? surprised you think it's even worth mentioning considering the big blind eye you're willing to extend to the lie which may have influenced the outcome of an actual election.

[Scorrie]

I would like to state the "We, the people of Yell" hold no truck with those who claim to represent the beliefs and opinions of an entire geographical area.

 

Down with this sort of thing.

[Ghostrider]

.....which may have influenced the outcome of an actual election.

 

There's an awful lot having to ride in the strength of that "may have" to make that suspicion have any credibility. In a Scotland only context it was never going to matter to the nationalist socialists voters who anybody alledged Nicola wanted to get in to bed with, the election result would have been virtually the same, and in a national context it would have mattered even less.

 

What never ceases to amaze however, is that the electorate are being assumed to be so dumb as lap up and be influenced by unverifable tittle tattle in the first place, and aren't objecting to it. I guess that just goes to prove that those who assume they are, are likely assuming correct.

 

A newspaper article, based on notes taken of some foreigner talking about another foreigner's conversation with someone not directly involved in the election. Come on, its up there with, 'My best friend's cousins' mother-in-law's granny swears it the gospel truth........ Good for a quick snigger, but anything more is reserved for only the naive and gullible.

[JustMe]

Made my decision.  I am happy for Alastair to serve his term as an MP since I do not believe any transgression was great enough to stop him.  But I do expect him to stick with his pledge that this was his last term and in the event that he is persuaded to apply for the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds I do hope he does not stand again.

 

Will be up to the Lib Dems and the SNP to decide on their candidates and I predict a certain amount of tactical voting but may the best man (or woman) win.