Home Office naughtiness

When Jacqui Smith got done last year for claiming for porn films on her expenses we all hoped the problem would not be more widespread.

I’m afraid I have a troubling announcement.

It seems a couple of Home Office employees have followed their leader’s example – two have been disciplined over the last few years after they looked at porn on their work computers, officials tell me.

People are always talking about how busy the department is, what with its broad range of duties and all.

But these two, at least, seemed to have had a bit of extra time on their hands.

'Don't Panic' strike politics again

Don’t Panic – the activists behind the Alan Duncan and Anthony Steen videos and the Jacqui Smith plaque – will strike again this afternoon.

This time they are hitting out at the return of Lords Truscott and Taylor – who became embroiled in the cash for peers scandal earlier this year.

The group will plant this spoof Foxton’s estate agent sign – minus the redaction – somewhere in Westminster.

Don't hold you breath Jacqui

In tomorrow’s issue of Total Politics Jacqui Smith apparently says she wants to come back into Government.

Maybe she, Margaret Beckett and Geoff Hoon should have a coffee morning together.

She’ll also call for training for ministers saying: “When I became Home Secretary, I’d never run a major organisation.

“I hope I did a good job but if I did it was more by luck than by any kind of development of those skills.”

I guess we could train ministers – or we could just choose ones who know what they’re doing in the first place.

PMQs: Too little, too late

I think after 50 seconds even Sir Peter Tapsell forgot the start of his sentence.

Cameron and Osborne were practically cracking up on the front bench while he asked his question.

Apart from such light entertainment PMQs was a bruiser for the PM today.

Brown actually appeared quite confident but the times are simply against him now.

Cameron had a dig about the departure of Blears and Smith, but didn't land the killer punch - as can be his habit.

Nick Clegg said Labour was finished and the real choice now was between the Lib Dems and Tories.

He was laughed into his seat, but that he could say it at all is telling.

Far more interesting was watching the cabinet and other ministers as they sat trying to look nonchalant.

The PM twice declined Cameron's invitation to say Darling would be in position next week.

Ed Balls sat down next to Alan Johnson. The Health Secretary refused to even acknowledge his colleague - he didn't look at him once.

Police Minister Vernon Coaker stood by the door biting his finger-nails and walked out half way through.

Labour's storm is breaking.

Tracking Labour

In a single carriage of the train I took yesterday was Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling, David Miliband, Hazel Blears, Jacqui Smith, Ed Balls, James Purnell and John Denham.

Now, now bloggers. I know what you're thinking. But remember - I was on the train too.

Caroline Flint and Margaret Beckett joined the pack later.

A Labour spokesman admitted that it was an unusual display of politcal strength outside of a general election campaign.

The party leaders know that to escape a voting booth battering they need all the strength they have.

It was notable that they rolled the big guns into Derbyshire too - one of three Midlands counties that the Tories think they can take.

Who's next in the Home Office?

So another Home Secretary chokes on the poisoned chalice.

I couldn’t go into the Chamber for her speech yesterday as I was busy writing a story, but hacks have said Jacqui Smith looked defeated and as if she just didn’t want the job anymore.

The scandals now eating her political career like a flesh eating virus – the Damian Green affair, her sister’s house, her husband’s porn, G20 protests, student visas – mean it can’t be long to the end.

It’s more a question of timing for Brown. He has to wait for the Damian Green affair to pass in order to avoid any perception that the Tories have taken her scalp.

But the longer he waits the more her departure may affect the summer elections. People, including his own MPs, may also question his judgement on the matter.

Smith follows a long line of ministers who’ve been crushed by the Home Office, think David Blunkett and Charles Clarke.

Those that managed to do the job and come out the other side include Jack Straw and Ken Clarke – two insatiable survivors.

But the daunting history will not put off others who fancy themselves a promotion to one of the biggest jobs in Government.

Hazel Blears springs to mind. The Communities Secretary is feisty enough to take on Chris Grayling.

Brown might also think her “I’m an honest girl from a working family” manner might be what the position needs.

Damian Green looked emotional

Just got back from Damian Green’s briefing in the press gallery, he looked like he’d been through a lot.

Triumphalism was suppressed and he came across magnanimous.

The shadow immigration minister called Jacqui Smith a poor Home Secretary but declined twice to call for her resignation.

He confirmed his DNA had been taken, and demanded it be removed from any database, also highlighting bugs used during his arrest.

He said: “The Government is very keen to use the full power of the state to investigate other people, but seem very unkeen to have any of its own activities investigated.”

You can hear the political gun turrets turning, expect the backlash soon.

Smith back in the spotlight

Just when she thought everyone was finally looking the other way, Jacqui Smith will find a good few fingers pointing at her again today.

The Home Affairs Select Committee report into the Damian Green affair concludes the Cabinet Office exaggerated national security implications of leaks that led to Green’s arrest.

Indeed, it was evidence from the Home Office that convinced committee members national security was not at such a risk.

If that was the case why didn’t Smith realise things were getting out of hand and do something?

Vaz seemed to suggest today that the exaggeration was not sanctioned by ministers, only officials – if so, why didn’t officials speak to their ministers about such a crucial matter?

A Home Secretary in a strong position might find this one a toughie.

Pay rise, expenses and the G20

Now we learn that MPs are to get a pay rise of 2.3% from April this year.

The news-story will be rolled into one with the MPs’ allowances figures, released later today a little earlier than expected.

It means the worst of the inevitable criticism over the pay rise and allowances will be over in a day or two – cleared away by G20 coverage.

And all this on a day when Jacqui Smith would’ve been praying for something to take focus off her.

Adult viewing only

I wouldn't have wanted to be in the shoes of Jacqui Smith's husband when the Home Secretary found out about the "adult films" on her TV bill.

Not only did Jackboot miss all the fun - the films were viewed in her absence - but they ended up being claimed on her Parliamentary expenses.

According to the Beeb she gave the husband a real "ear-bashing" - so he was probably blindfolded, cuffed and tied to a post before being flagellated.

Can she continue in post? If ever there was a time for Cameron to capitalise on the "anti-politician" feeling with some high-profile wide-ranging reforms, then this is it.

Jacqui gets let off

No-one made any sort of comment about Jacqui Smith's expenses spat in the Commons just now.

Not even a passing quip or a sneer. Nothing.

They simply stood on their tippy-toes and spoke over the elephant in the room.

Utterly disappointing. As one experienced hack pointed out though, others may've not wanted to sling mud because they have greater bloopers to hide.

Unbroken expenses rules, broken ethics

The most irritating response to questionable ethical behaviour is “no rules have been broken.”

That is especially so when said rules are set by the people behaving questionably.

We hear today that Jacqui Smith stayed at her sister’s house and then claimed back her rent money from the tax payer.

She says she paid her sister market rates, but it is not clear what that means yet.

Why can’t MPs see that such an arrangement is dubious when tax-payers' money is being used?

Right now senior ministers should be looking to be spotless in terms of expenses.

At Home Office questions today Lobbydog wants to see people haranguing Ms Smith over this on the Commons floor.

It should provide something for newbie Chris Grayling to get his teeth into.

Jacqui Smith's pants on fire

When Lobbydog was a pup disobedient pupils at his school would set the fire alarm off just before double physics.

So, when Parliament’s alarm went off today, I wondered if Home Secretary Jacqui Smith hadn't hit the switch.

Bells started ringing just as she was due to give evidence to a committee on the Damian Green affair.

When we did finally get started 45 minutes later we may as well have stayed outside because she refused to answer anything of significance.

She trotted out the same old excuse about not saying anything while the police investigation was on-going.

It was fun, though, to watch her get all narky with David Davies when he asked her if Bob Quick was a "close friend" of hers.

Police politics ditched

Plans to make police authorities directly elected have been binned.

It's a kick in the balls for the Government and Jacqui Smith who looked like they might ignore everyone's advice and push on blindly.

It'll also be interesting to see what Vernon Coaker has to say about the whole thing.

He was vehemently defending the idea not a week ago.

The question now - if they can turn on this, then on what else?

Impossible situation

As if recent stabbing stats and crime figure botches weren't enough to torpedo confidence in Government/police information, there was more embarrassment today.

Last week Police Minister and Notts MP Vernon Coaker said in a select committee that police had to be proportionate when dealing with protestors.

The demonstration at Kingsnorth power station - which led to accusations of police heavy handedness - was raised, but Coaker defended officers saying they needed to protect themselves as well.

Originally Kent Police said their officers had suffered 70 injuries in the £5.9m crowd control operation.

But the Guardian reports that Coaker has now written to Lib Dems admitting none of the "injuries" were as a result of contact with protestors.


Problems included tooth ache, heat exhaustion, diarrhoea and a sting from a "possible wasp".

What is a possible wasp? In fact, what is an impossible wasp? For some reason Yvette Cooper springs to mind.

The Home Office and Number 10 need to get a grip on the information issue. Unfortunately if they don't it will only be a Notts MP who pays the price.

UPDATE, Dec 16: Coaker apologised in Parliament for the Kingsnorth balls up on Monday, and his boss Jacqui Smith for the kinfe crime botch. A bad day at the Home Office.