Airstrip One

Pilate's Intelligence Services

The suspected politicisation of the intelligence services has been confirmed with the appointment of John Scarlett as the Head of MI6. The interpenetration of politics and intelligence was demonstrated during the Hutton inquiry. There was insufficient evidence to confirm if this was an unprofessional friendship or an attempt by the Blair administration to permanently suborn the intelligence services. The evidence confirms the latter campaign.

Scarlett was appointed by an 'independent' committee on the basis of merit. This 'independent' committee was chaired by Sir David Omand, Blair's security and intelligence co-ordinator. By allowing Scarlett to take up his post, Blair has demonstrated his view that the Butler inquiry is a sideshow and, more importantly, shown that he wants 'NuLab' institutionalised in a new establishment before his administration falls.

Instead of ranting myself, the Daily Mail and Daily Star provide good copy:

As chairman of the joint intelligence committee, Mr Scarlett was responsible for the dossier that claimed Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes. "He saved Tony Blair's political skin at the Hutton inquiry for carrying the can for the farrago of mendacious rubbish that helped drag Britain into the disastrous mess it is still in today," thundered the Daily Mail. The reward for the "toadying placeman" was the top job at MI6.

Describing Mr Scarlett as a "Labour loyalist", the Daily Star claimed the appointment was a "reward for enthusiastic boot-licking".

The Conservative Party will have to use the examples of intelligence failure to cleanse the Augean stables, but the damage may be done. If New Labour has corrupted the intelligence services to its will, then they will have to be purged of the self-serving, politicised scum (noted for their pro-European bent) that sleepwalked into Iraq, at the expense of our national interests.

(20.40, 9th May 2004)