Lord Toby Harris: Knows Blunkett and Soley, But Not Guilty

Lord Toby Harris (Labour) was approached by Sunday Times bods too, and he recounts their attempted grooming of his Lordship to bat for a Chinese retail concern. Lord Harris indicates that these people were clumsy and that these people kept trying to entrap him. He was suspicious. He even suggests that by cherry-picking through his various conversations with them they might have been able to smear him. These undercover journalists should be made to deliver every scrap of tape they have - including of their unsuccessful 'marks', and not just parts of the later incriminating tapes among the four they have put out. Then we'd hear the full "grooming" process. We'd hear any clarifications and caveats from the successfully solicited Lords and not just the cherry picked sound bites of guilt. We'd also be able to hear how the six or so who failed to take the bait actually behaved.

I'm not saying that some Lords and some MPs are not venal. Look at Archer and Black, and consider Laidlaw and Ashcroft. But the Times has got more than a little bit scummy these last few years. And I'm left wondering why they didn't follow through and get some of the Lords actually signed up.

Hat tip: Iain's Daley Dozen. Which Labour's FTB also wishes Blunkett well in his next matrimonials. But he's yet to admit that his insinuations about Lord Soley were a groundless flight of fancy.