One rule for them..


So, Harriet 'Hattie' Harman has finally, eventually, been dragged to court for driving offences she committed early last year.

Those with long memories - the case was repeatedly delayed to keep it well away from the Labour Party Conference last year - will recall that Ms. Harperson comitted a number of motoring offences, including using a mobile phone while driving, careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

All of these are actually .. err ... against the law, even - yes, even - if you are the niece of a Countess, even if you're the missus of a powerful Trade Unionist and even if you're Deputy Prime Minister.

But was she given a good hard slap on the wrist, to remind her of the error of her ways? Was she punished to the full extent of the law, to make an example of her?

No, of course she fucking wasn't.

The charge of driving with a mobile was dropped completely, the accusation that she drove off without leaving any details seems to have been forgotten and she was only had to answer to the trivial offence of "driving without due care and attention". Big fucking deal.

For a mere 350 quid - which, of course, goes straight back into the coffers from which she's paid - Ms. Harperson was able to walk free.

The offence could have cost her 5 grand, but, hey, we don't wanna do that, do we Hatster? Just pay what you can afford, love.

No ban, no fine commensurate with her enormous fucking salary. It's amazing she wasn't given a new hat and the freedom of the City of Coventry.

Hattie probably knew she was going to let off virtually scot free, as she didn't even bother to turn up.

Oh no, she had a far more important appointment: a Cabinet meeting, watching Gordon squirm and grovel.

But her absence didn't make any difference. The token punishment was announced, and clearly a lecture from the bench was not necessary for one as wise and fragrant as our Hattie.

What a fucking surprise.

_

14 comments:

Martin Budden said...

It would be interesting if we could find someone else who has committed the same offences and compare their punishments.

Anonymous said...

She already had 6 points on her license for previous speeding convictions so if the police had charged her with anything but the bare minimum she would have banned.

You'd think someone with two previous convictions would be dealt by more harshly by the courts but it seems to not be the case here.

As proper a stitch-up as you'll ever see.

Captain Haddock said...

This case has been a total travesty from the outset .. The result is a complete outrage and should not be allowed to just fade into the background ..

For starters, how many Police Officers & at what level of seniority colluded in not reporting & questioning Harman regarding the allegations at the earliest possible opportunity ?

The Metropolitan Police could & should have done this immediately, after all .. they knew who she was and where they could find her ..

If they were unable to send someone to do this at the Party Conference, there is a National facility for an Officer from any other Force to do this on their behalf & send details to the originating Force ..

These "actions" take place well before the matter is brought to the attention of the CPS ..

Then we come to the CPS themselves .. how much collusion went on there I wonder ?

To me the whole episode stinks to high heaven of Perverting the Course of Justice ..and heads should roll ..

I believe this case merits the same amount of Media & Blogging attention and investigation as did the case of the man with the shotgun in Surrey ..

Jill said...

It's not even her and her infractions, is it? It's the hypocrisy in the face of criminalising the hoi polloi for the most minor of crimes. Meh.

What I want to know is why the arts aren't taking all this petty but dangerous authoritarianism to task more. It's their bloody place. Do you know, you can look at children's literature and find mini 1984s wherever you look - I've just reviewed three in a row - but where are the adults? Meh again.

Captain Haddock said...

The hypocrisy is that had 75 year old Mrs Gladys Shufflebottom of Gas Street, Heckmondwyke done the same thing .. the Police would have interviewed her under caution, reported her for the offences & passed the papers to the CPS for prosecution ..

Given such blatant & clear evidence of several offences against the Road Traffic Act, I have little doubt in believing that said Mrs Shufflebottom would have been found guilty at Court .. been banned from driving & probably served a dessert of a hefty fine to boot ..

The other thing which has always puzzled me about this case is that so far, I've heard nothing from or even about the owner of the car which Harman reversed into ..

Odd that eh ?

Had it been my car .. I'd have been onto the Press & anyone else who'd listen to me, that very day ..

One has little option but to wonder whether said owner has been either bought off .. or advised against taking walks whilst alone in woodlands ..

Whichever .. the whole thing stinks ...

Furor Teutonicus said...

She's probably fucking the Judge.

Furor Teutonicus said...

DAMN. MAGISTRATE. Not "Judge".

Captain Haddock said...

F.T ... You were correct the first time ..

What used to be called Stipendiary Magistrates .. are now called District Judges ..

Furor Teutonicus said...

Cheers!

Things have changed a lot in 15 years. :-)

Captain Haddock said...

True enough ..

And none of it for the better .. Grrrr

Anonymous said...

nu liebour apologists always love bringing up the cases of Archer, Aitken and the whole cash for questions saga as evidence of tory misbehaviour.
They fail to realise that all these characters were in fact dealt with and were punished. The Party itself faced years in the Political wilderness as a consequence.

The travesty today is that similar behaviour and in the case of those corrupt Lords who offered to take backhanders for actually influencing legislation,results in no one being punished.

This is not an indication of how whiter than white todays Politicians are but on the contrary how compromised our Legal system has become.

Disgraceful

Captain Haddock said...

Absolutely right ..

Though I tend to think that Labour choose not to remember that those Tories were punished for their crimes (not punished harshly enough in my opinion) rather than simply fail to remember ..

Any excuse to perpetuate the Class "war" and so reinforce their raison d'etre ..

John Demetriou said...

I bet you secretly fancy her.

You sly old cunt.

Tom Paine said...

Is no-one else enjoying the sight of a woman who bangs on about equality constantly rejoicing in her own unequal treatment?