MP: Tory arrest could cut police complaints (From Bucks Free Press)

MP: Tory arrest could cut police complaints

4:22pm Monday 1st December 2008 in

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A BUCKINGHAMSHIRE MP today warned the police search of a senior Tory’s office could put others off seeking help from their MP.

David Lidington, MP for Aylesbury, said the arrest of Damian Green could prevent others complaining to MPs about the police if forces can search parliamentary offices.

He said the arrest of Mr Green was a “disgrace” – and a “sinister attack on political freedom”.

Mr Green MP, the Conservatives’ immigration spokesman, was arrested on Thursday by police probing alleged leaks from the Home Office.

The arrest led to a furore at Westminster with senior party members including David Cameron stating Mr Green used information to hold the Government to account.

Mr Lidington, the party’s shadow Northern Ireland secretary, said: “It has serious implications on two counts.

“First of all people will afraid. They’ll say, “the police can do this to a senior MP, they can do it to anybody”.

“Secondly I believe this could make people more reluctant to seek the help of an MP with serious problems.”

Mr Lidington told Bucks Free Press he had dealt with constituents’ complaints about the police – but this incident could put others off seeking similar help by appearing to compromise MP-constituent confidentiality.

He said: “I have details of that information, and I think it's important that the constituents know that I will keep that information confidential except where they wish me to pass it on.

“What I hope is that this case will be a wake up call to both the politicians and the public about the erosion of personal freedom in this country.”

Mr Green was held on suspicion of “conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office" and "aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring misconduct in a public office".

He was bailed to February.

Mr Green told reporters last week: “I have many times made public information that the government wanted to keep secret - information that the public has a right to know.”

The Government has said it had no prior knowledge of the arrest.