Big Brother Calls Khan To Diary Room

Following on nicely from my earlier post about bugging at high levels in the UK, Sadiq Khan MP has discovered that he was bugged while having a supposedly confidential conversation with a constituent, Babar Ahmed, who was spending time at Woodhill Prison.

Babar Ahmed, it should be noted, is currently wanted for extradition by the US who suspect him of being a terrorist (the case has been followed by The Register here). He is also, a childhood friend of Mr Khan.

There is, or was, depending on who you decide to believe, a protocol that dictates that the police will not bug Members of Parliament. As it appears that the bugging of Mr Khan has directly ignored this (Nick Robinson says that the police man who undertook it, did so with the full support of his Chief Constable) there is to be an inquiry launched by Minister of Justice, Jack Straw.

He might also want to ask some questions at Number 10, as David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, claims he sent a letter to the Prime Minister in December last year saying that he was aware of the bugging, but Gordon Brown is said to be "unaware" of that letter being received.

All of which is a nice distraction from the recent spate of undignified payola grabbing by MPs and their families. Almost odd that the bugging, which is reported to have taken place in 2005 & 2006, would make an appearance at this time. Fortuitous is one word for it. Suspicious is the one I'll use.