Jacqui Smith forced to explain own ineptitude

We've all had the occasional memory slip - left the house without our wallet or phone, left the keys inside the car, walked into a room and forgot immediately the reason for doing so. It happens. Chances are, though - if you were carrying a set of documents that were vital to the national security of the nation - you'd be more than a little bit careful where you put them.

Following a couple of instances in which lost top-secret government documents were both sent to the BBC and left lying around on a train, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith - the person whose job it is to, y'know, make sure this sort of insanity doesn't happen - is going to be summoned to the Home Affairs Committee and asked to justify this nonsense.

Chairman of the committee Keith Vaz had this to say:

"This latest revelation gives us serious cause for concern. We need an explanation from the Home Secretary whether all these breaches of security affect our fight against terrorism. Until the inquiry has been concluded and we are told how these extraordinary events occurred, no official no matter how senior, should be allowed to take classified or confidential documents outside their offices for whatever reason.''

Just how Jacqui will explain this devastating security breach is anyone's guess. Well, until Monday morning that is, when Westmonster fully expects to find a first draft of her presentation abandoned on the 7.15 to Paddington. Right after we pick up those confidential MI5 documents from the waste-disposal area in Burger King.

Written by C J Davies on 15 Jun 2008 7:17 PM. Permalink