Iain Dale thinks Peter Hain’s in deep trouble, with the most recent revelations about donations to his deputy leadership campaign. Iain’s thinking primarily of political trouble of course, but he may also mean legal http://www.gooakley.com/ trouble: and I agree that must be a real possibility.
To remind you of what I’ve blogged before about PPERA 2000, Hain will have committed an offence under para. 12(2) of Schedule 7, unless he can show due diligence under para. 12(3). Potentially, he could receive a fine of an unlimited amount, if the case is thought serious enough for the Crown Court.
Mr Gardner,
No doubt you’re absolutely right as to the viability. The question is whether anyone will actually bother to institute procedings.
Sadly I doubt it. The pity is that so much recent legislation has been brought to the Statute Book and then not used. This simply brings the legal system as a whole into disrepute.
You’re right – whether there really will be a prosecution is very much another question. There’s also the point that someone like Peter Hain, who obviously delegated all this, in reality, to various party workers, may well be able to muster decent evidence of due diligence; and the political aspect – it’s just difficult to imagine someone like this actually being prosecuted unless they’re bang to rights.
Even so, it’d be rash to rule it out I think. It is possible: and one day, someone will be convicted. As I think I’ve implied once or twice before, I think it’s only then that the “political class”, i.e. politicians and advisers, will really begin to take obeying the law really seriously.