Donations Police File

I find all this about the Peter Hain donations scandal most confusing:

Police have handed over evidence relating to donations to Peter Hain's deputy Labour leadership bid last year to the Crown Prosecution Service.

It follows an inquiry into the late declaration of more than £100,000 given to his failed campaign.

The Metropolitan Police said the CPS would say whether more inquiries were needed or charges should be brought.

Mr Hain has admitted that although he declared £77,000 on time, a further £5,000 was not declared until November - and in January admitted that a further £103,000 should have been reported.

So he has admitted that he has broken the law. Then, why is it only a possibility that he could be prosecuted? It cannot be for a lack of evidence, as he admitted that 17 donations were late, breaking the law.

Could it be that when Labour introduced these laws in 2000, they thought that it could not apply to them, so when scandals like this break out, the old "they're all at it, but not anymore, so no need for prosecutions," excuse gets used. Even though Hain has admitted breaking the law?

The fundamental issue here is how accountable is a politician? Hain is trying to push the blame onto his staff by claiming that "his campaign" was at fault, and he rectified the problem when he found out. But I cannot believe that he was in the dark over the origin of £100,000 that he was spending. It is a large hole in anyone's budget. But anyway, a politician should be responsible for his backroom staff, just like a government minister is responsible for his department. And if a preventable situation arises in government, that minister takes responsibility for his administrators. Peter Hain is adeptly passing the buck.

The fact remains that an illegal act was committed. The law cares not about people's remorse in establishing guilt, which is obvious in this case. The question is who should be prosecuted. If the precise person or persons remain unknown, then Hain, as responsible for his department, should represent his staff in the dock. Sentencing is where Hain's attitude will come into play. And if the CPS don't press charges, I will.