Christopher Galley "If I go down I'm taking Damian Green with me"

Christopher Galley "If I go down I'm taking Damian Green with me"

Christopher Galley's lawyer, Neil O'May of Bindman's, is forwarding the defence of "in the public interest" for disclosing confidential documents. Reading between the lines, however, Galley is saying, in effect, "If I go down I'm taking Damian Green with me". Whilst it is no defence for Galley to claim that Green applied pressure to commit the act, and that it is claimed that Green misled Galley as to how he intended to deal with the documents, these claims may be taken into considerations as mitigating factors for a reduction in sentence.

UPDATE: The Red Box has an interesting take on this case. Where is the line? However, I don't believe that Galley and Green's defence is valid. There was a plot to discredit the Labour party and undermine the government. Bottom line, Galley will try to shift as much blame upon Green as he can get away with. They are not pals here. It's every man for himself.

Further update:

"The Tories have accused ministers of seeking to exert influence over the Commons speaker ahead of his statement about the Damian Green leak row.

They say a leaked e-mail shows Commons leader Harriet Harman inviting Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to discuss the statement with parliamentary officials".

Labour said the meeting did not concern the statement at all and was merely about parliamentary business.

The BBC's Reeta Chakrabarti said the row over the leaked e-mail showed the degree of bad blood between the parties over the row. I think that this has to be the Great Yorkshire Understatement of the year!

Unfortunately, Newsnight have not put up Michael Crick's report on this affair on their website. He referred to the questions which Galley's lawyer refused to answer.

image nicked from Bob Piper Hat-Tip to the man.