Martyrs in the making...

[sandyRoe]

Will the 3 former Labour MP's, Morley, Chator, and Devine, be martyred now that they have to face charges of false accounting in an ordinary court?
Couldn't some parliamentary committee have given them a slap on the wrist and be done with it?

[fredpuli47]

Probably, but why would it ? Prima facie they are guilty of a crime of false accounting. The public tends to think politicians are dishonest at the best of times. Why crimes which would to lead to jail for the rest of us, should go unpunished when the offender is an MP is not clear.

[jno]

to the tumbrils with them. I have my knitting ready.

[Everhelpful]

Well said,frepauli.

[ludwig]

A prison sentence will do. Actually community service at a minimum wage rate until they've paid back what they stole would be better, that way they're not costing us any more.

[anotheoldgit]

sandyRoe

Martyr why?

A martyr is someone who is put to death for defending their beliefs, or someone that makes a great show of suffering in order to arouse sympathy.

Well we can't kill them and they don't seem to be putting on a show of suffering, and even if they did, they would not get any sympathy from me.

No, they are charge with a very serious crime, and consequently deserve to be tried in a court of law, and if found guilty imprisoned.

[jake-the-peg]

//Prima facie they are guilty //

Quote of the week!

Didn't we once have a notion of innocent until proven guilty?

[jackthehat]

^ And now they'll be getting the opportunity to prove it.

ALL cases proceed from the first principle of 'guilt' otherwise there would never be a case to answer.........it would be a very odd case, indeed, which came about because all parties were assured of the innocence of the accused......

[fredpuli47]

jake, they are presumed innocent; the burden of proof is on the Crown; but there is a prima facie case disclosed against them, hence 'prima facie guilty'

[modeller]

They may be the most guilty or stupid of the MPs to get caught but how about all the others who fiddled the system . Most of them have got away with it and are now enjoying huge pensions. Some even got themselves re-elected because , it was claimed, they were good constituency MPs. Maybe they were . They could afford to be.