Iain Gray's poor judgement over prison officers

I see Iain Gray and Kenny MacAskill are going at it hammer and tongs on The Politics Show over prisoners.

Iain Gray suggests that every day the Justice Secretary makes a gaffe and combatting that clear exaggeration Kenny defends himself with the following results:

• crime levels at a record low
• record numbers of police
• reduced absconsions (sic) from 70 to 16

Iain Gray had his gas somewhat at a peep and goes on to discuss Salmond not making public the knowledge that a prisoner was on the run.

Kenny MacAskill then goes on to make the perfectly fair comment that it is up to the police to decide when such information should be in the public domain, as is always the case in such instances.

The suggestion that Labour have been impugning the integrity of the police is pretty fair.


I think it's best to leave the final word on this to someone from outside the political bunfight. John Scott, vice President of the Society of Solicitor Advocates:

"If a justice secretary has to go, over this, then no-one is going to last more than a few months as justice secretary ever again."

Well said that man.



(Kenny's comment that "we are one eighth better than the Tories" has to go down as a verbal gaffe. I think he meant they are eight times better given the abscondee rates are down by an eighth)