Looks like David Cameron wants a Big Secret Society

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First we have the Snoopy snooping row today we hear that the Conservatives want more closed, secret court hearings.

The issue is over whose say so court proceedings should be secret. Cameron says it should be the Ministers, but Clegg is saying this power should not go to Parliament but remain with the judiciary. Maybe David Cameron fancies himself as the next James Bond (which after all is just 4 years older than the PM as a film franchise) with Theresa May as Q, but there is too much talk from the Tories about subterfuge at the moment.

Thankful this time it appears that Clegg has taken the bull by the horns before it even contemplates the merest possibility of bolting from through the doors of Westminster, saying:

"[Security Services] cannot be allowed to ride roughshod over the principle of open justice".

Clegg has even said that the Tories have gone about announcing legislation in a "blunderbuss" fashion, the past few days when there have been leaks about secrecy legislation plans being a case in point. Spuriously coughing out a worst case scenario that may have been discussed that in no way would get approval by the Lib Dems, hence making us look bad only to then come in later with another proposal that is less scary after all the initial accusations have passed and nobody gives them as much attention.

However, Nick Clegg has told the National Security Council that the Lib Dems will not back legislation that allows more court hearings and inquests behind closed doors. The excuse from Ken Clarke that the USA are  afraid of the openness of UK judicial proceedings is not a valid one. The USA had long held secret, closed sessions of their supreme court sometimes subpoenaing witnesses at the last minute. They are one of the most secretive states in the world at times for all the appearance of openness on the outside.

Their failure to ratify Protocol I and II of the Geneva Conventions and other Internation Human Rights Conventions, or at least without much alacrity means that the USA is one of the least accountable countries in the World to everyone else. Their use if extraordinary rendition and sanctioning of evidence obtained through torture are things that aren't to be held in esteem. Indeed their retention of capital punishment would make them ineligible for membership of the EU. So the USA is hardly an example of being above board in terms of judicial practice, so the fact that they fear handing over secrets that may expose some of the practices mentioned in an open review is hardly a cause to hide those ourselves.

The Conservatives want secrecy, the Lib Dems want openness. We know how the secrets of the MPs expenses went down with the general public, so how on earth do the Tories think that keeping something so fundamental a secret is going to go down? I'm glad the Lib Dems are in government at the moment and are campaigning for openness and the retention of open justice.

David Cameron is not so much wanting a Big Society as to still be the member and leader of a Secret Society it seems.

Tory Not Honest Over Second Job in Health

They want to appear to be the 'honest' party of British Politics, after all that does seem to be their latest mantra to throw into every sound bite.

They want to appear to be fully behind the NHS after Daniel Hannan MEP saying the the NHS was a '60 year mistake'.

They want openness and honest about their members second jobs, even as in the case of John Lamont seeking his second mandate after they have used such two-jobbing as a tool to attack.

Yet it has emerged that Shadow Health Minister Lord Ian McColl hasn't been open about his conflict of interests. The ignoble Lord is a paid consultant for Endeavour Health a private health care company, offering a private GP and Dental network to the best while beating NHS queue. They have also been quick to turn a profit out of fear from the potential Swine Flu pandemic.

Apparently the news that Lord McColl was a paid consultant to Endeavour Health was news to David Cameron, whose office said he was unaware of the Minister's role with the GP network. The Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley was also out of the loop saying that his colleague had never raised the issue with the health team of which he has been part of since 1997.

Cameron has so far been treading a line of non-action (no surprise there from these Tories) over the NHS. No action has been taken against Hannan. However, what stance will he take over deceit and failing to disclose an interest, not merely in one speech or question on a subject, but on the entire portfolio Lord McColl is supposed to be shadowing.

UPDATE: I see that Mr Dale has waded into the defence of Lord McColl but is broadly missing the point on a few scores.

It is not the fact that he has a second job that is the major concern but that the fact that it has direct conflict with running the Government funded NHS. A position he has been shadowing for 12 years so how a former Tory PPC can fail to know part of their health team astounds me.

Also Iain shows part of the Tory dilemma he points out that in attendance allowance the Lord would have earned £27,840, saying "unless you have private means, you have to have outside work". I guess me and millions of other still have a lot to aspire to, and a lot more work to do to even get to a level to think about having an outside job then as well, to make ends meet.

But of course bravo to Iain for using his private health insurance to free up a spot on the NHS waiting list. At least he can afford to unlike many others, either here or in the USA, who would/are not be able to get the health care they need with a national health care provision that is free at the point of entry.