In the 'public interest', PM must come clean
17 December 2005
Statement by DUP Euro MP Jim Allister QC:
Developments in “Stormontgate” raise key questions which HMG cannot avoid.
- Was it really Donaldson’s status as an agent which caused the prosecution to be discontinued, bearing in mind that agents have been prosecuted in the past for their criminal acts, for example, Brian Nelson. Since Donaldson’s role would have been known to the authorities from the outset, why was the prosecution initiated, only to be dropped? These factors might suggest there was another reason for the discontinuance. Sinn Fein’s witch-hunt may not yet be over!
- If Donaldson’s status was the reason, then wouldn’t the Prime Minister, as the one with ultimate oversight over the security services, have known of his status. If so, why then did he tell Ian Paisley in the House of Commons that he did not know why the prosecution was dropped? Was he being economical with the truth? Blair needs to explain whether he knew Donaldson was an agent, and, if not, how that could credibly be so. The PM should make a full statement to Parliament on Monday.
Clearly, despite the orchestrated denial of Donaldson, there was indeed a spy-ring at work. (Who wrote his script?) Sinn Fein now looks ridiculously foolish. They can’t have it both ways. They cannot scoff at the very idea of a spy-ring and then suggest the British was orchestrating that which they deny existed!
