Sir: Lord Howe spreads a thin veil of princi- ple
over his special pleading for Tory politi- cians in his article condemning the Scott Inquiry report before its contents are known. No doubt he has accurately guessed them and is making a pre-emptive strike.
But the procedures of Scott are not unusual. It is now well over three years since the DTI inquiry by Roger Thomas QC and Raymond Turner began into the flotation of the Daily Mirror. You would have to guess whether I and other former directors of the Daily Mirror gave evidence to the inquiry because it might be held as a contempt of court if I were to assert it. It would certainly be a contempt of court, and not just a technical one, were I, in advance of official publication, to publish anything I might have said to the inquiry were I a wit- ness or were I to refute anything which might be said about me were anyone else who might have given evidence so minded. (You will see how careful I have to be not to be hauled before m'lud.) However, if ministers see a political advantage in leak- ing the report's contents, be certain they will do so — and be equally certain that in that event no action for contempt will be taken against them.
Anyone criticised in the Thomas-Taylor report will be given the opportunity to respond before publication — just as William Waldegrave was by Scott. He will not, however, be allowed to confront any accuser, nor be able to employ a lawyer to cross-examine on his behalf — a denial which rouses Lord Howe to great wrath when Scott proceeds in that way.
As Sir Geoffrey and Leader of the Com- mons, Lord Howe likewise did not take the opportunity to correct another outrageous procedure which masquerades as an essen- tial element of our democracy — the right of any scoundrelly MP to defame and lie about a private citizen within the privileged chamber of the Commons and to get away with it without being required to apologise. Needless to say, he never took it. I've suf- fered from this abuse and so have many others, but MPs are only moved to com- plain about it when it affects one of their kind (i.e., Michael Heseltine being accused of seeking money for the Tory Party from foreigners).
If Lord Howe's campaign against Scott succeeds, perhaps he might take up the causes which I have mentioned and which he neglected when he had the power to do something about them. And pigs might fly, too.
Joe Haines 1 South Firth,
London Road, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
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