Metropol

The Daily Mail have decided to drag up another old story to sensationalise this weekend, this time the unfortunate suicide of Dr Kelly some years ago.

This time they employed a bored LibDem MP, with lots of time on his hands, or as the DM would say:

DM wrote:The LibDem MP, who gave up his front bench post to carry out his year-long investigation, makes his claims in a book serialised exclusively in the Daily Mail today and next week.

It has to involve a plot that two enquiries didn't uncover, but a bored MP can...

DM wrote:He says he was told by a secret informant that British police knew about the plot but failed to act in time and that the death was later made to look like a suicide to prevent political and diplomatic turmoil.

And don't forget to boost the profile of the bloke you paid........has anyone heard if this MP?

DM wrote:The highly-respected MP's personal quest to uncover the truth about Dr Kelly's death was prompted by deep concerns over the circumstances surrounding the apparent suicide.

for which read "he had nothing to do, and he needed the money"

DM wrote:His findings are today revealed in the first extract from his book....

Oh, so that's why this has all just come out - silly me! Did someone keep mentioning a book

As an aside, I happened to be staying in a very nice hotel in Faringdon for a few days at the time of the incident (because of work), and as it was a nice summer evening I went for a walk across the fields after dinner - but failed to spot any lurking assassins or indeed Dr Kelly on my travels. I did however get some jibes at work on my return to my (as then MOD) job as the possible culprit.

StuartPlymouth wrote: As an aside, I happened to be staying in a very nice hotel in Faringdon for a few days at the time of the incident (because of work), and as it was a nice summer evening I went for a walk across the fields after dinner - but failed to spot any lurking assassins or indeed Dr Kelly on my travels. I did however get some jibes at work on my return to my (as then MOD) job as the possible culprit.

Damnit, you've ticked the gay box, if only you were an immigrant too! The Mail would have a field day with that idea.

Actually, as much as I despise most MPs across all parties, I've got to defend Norman Baker here.

He is one of the tiny number of MPs who constantly tries to hold parliament and the establishment to account, whereas most MPs think the Commons should remain a cosy gentlemens club whose honour should never be called into question.

Most notably, it was Baker who fought for two years to uncover how much money MPs were claiming in travel expenses under the Freedom of Information Act, despite the parliamentary machine spending a fortune of OUR money to try and block his attempts. Without Baker's efforts the information would have stayed secret. The Tories and Labour were so infuriated by what Baker had done, that earlier this year they closed ranks and tried (but failed) to pass a new law making MPs exempt from the FOI Act.

And more recently Baker was the only MP with the balls to question why the Speaker, Michael Martin, had spent £21,000 of OUR money on hiring lawyers to protect his personal reputation. Questioning the Speaker is something that you simply "don't do" if you're an MP, except that Baker did do it, and he was absolutely right to do so.

There are numerous other examples of Baker's relentless investigations, such as his questioning of the corrupt liar Peter Mandelson which eventually brought about his downfall.

As for Baker's book about the death of Dr Kelly, he has carried out a forensic investigation into the matter and most importantly he raises many crucial questions which have never been answered. Of course the Hutton report cleared the government of any wrongdoing, but it was a whitewash with a foregone conclusion, and Blair made sure it didn't have a wide enough remit to ask the necessary questions.

Personally I think Norman Baker is a man of enormous honour and integrity who wrote this book for all the right reasons, and not to simply fill his pockets. Without Baker, our parliament would be that little bit more corrupt and unaccountable.

And on this rare occasion I also feel obliged to defend the Daily Mail's publication of Baker's book. This is what a free press should be all about. The story is an important and valid one, and deserves its front page status. The story is really a sensational one in its own right, regardless of whatever headline the Mail places above it.

Was there not some breaking news after his body was found saying that he had been shot? It was some radio show.